Key facts
- Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, will be Labour's candidate for Greater Manchester mayor.
- The byelection to replace Andy Burnham is scheduled for July 30.
- Reform UK is considered a strong challenger, having won many seats in recent local elections.
- Craig, 41, became leader of Manchester City Council in 2021.
- Restore Britain plans to campaign on issues of grooming gangs.
Bev Craig, the current leader of Manchester City Council, has been selected as the Labour candidate to succeed Andy Burnham as the mayor of Greater Manchester. The byelection, scheduled for July 30, is anticipated to be a closely contested race, particularly against Reform UK. Burnham, who is also considered a potential future Prime Minister, is expected to actively support Craig's campaign. The Greater Manchester byelection will be the largest in recent British political history, with approximately 2 million eligible voters. Craig, 41, has been a prominent figure in the Labour party since taking over Manchester City Council in 2021 at the age of 36, becoming its first female leader in decades. Despite her political experience, she is relatively unknown to the general public. Labour aims to position her as a continuation of Burnham's work, who secured a significant victory in the previous mayoral election. However, the party is preparing for a challenging campaign, given Reform UK's recent success in local elections across Greater Manchester, where they secured over 100 seats. Reform UK's candidate is expected to be Dan Barker. The right-wing party Restore Britain, led by Rupert Lowe, intends to make grooming gangs a central issue in the campaign, a topic that has garnered support from Elon Musk. Craig has shared personal details about her upbringing in council housing and her journey as an openly gay woman in politics, emphasizing her focus on economic policy and inclusive growth.