Polls open in Greater Manchester mayoral byelection overshadowed by new PM and Farage’s antics
Summary
Voting has started in the Greater Manchester mayoral byelection, which is the largest byelection in UK history with over 2 million voters. Labour candidate Bev Craig is expected to win easily, as Labour has gained support following Andy Burnham becoming prime minister and Reform UK’s focus shifting elsewhere.Key Facts
- The byelection is to replace Andy Burnham, who left the mayor role after winning a parliamentary seat.
- Over 2 million people can vote in this election, making it the biggest byelection in British history.
- Bev Craig, Labour’s candidate and leader of Manchester city council, leads in polls by around 20 percentage points.
- Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has shifted attention to a different election in Clacton.
- The mayor controls a £3 billion yearly budget and important powers in housing, health, policing, and transport.
- The election uses a supplementary voting system where second-choice votes can decide the winner if no one gets over 50%.
- Labour is likely to gain more second-choice votes than Reform UK, giving them an advantage.
- The Green party believes its real support is stronger than polls show, especially outside central Manchester.
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