The first election of the Andy Burnham era is already here
The first election of the Andy Burnham era is already here as Greater Manchester votes for his successor. The mayoral contest is expected to be closely contested between Labour's Bev Craig, Reform UK's Sian Astley, and the Green Party's Geraldine Coggins.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
The mayoral contest in Greater Manchester is a closely contested election between Labour's Bev Craig, Reform UK's Sian Astley, and the Green Party's Geraldine Coggins. The election is a key test of the popularity of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who held the post for nine years before resigning to enter parliament.
Greater Manchester is voting for a new mayor, and it's a big deal because the new mayor will have a lot of power over things like transport, policing, and housing. The three main candidates are Bev Craig from Labour, Sian Astley from Reform UK, and Geraldine Coggins from the Green Party. They all have different ideas about how to make Greater Manchester a better place, and voters will have to choose who they think is best.
Analysis
A £5 million vote of confidence
The mayoral election in Greater Manchester is a closely contested contest between Labour's Bev Craig, Reform UK's Sian Astley, and the Green Party's Geraldine Coggins. The election is a key test of the popularity of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who held the post for nine years before resigning to enter parliament. The contest is expected to be closely contested, with all three candidates having a strong chance of winning.
Why the stakes are high
The mayoral election in Greater Manchester is significant because it is the first test of the popularity of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The outcome of the election will also have implications for the devolution of powers from Westminster to local authorities. The mayoralty has a host of powers, including over transport, policing, and housing for more than three million people. Whoever wins the contest could end up as a guinea pig for Burnham's big devolution pitch.
The candidates
Labour's Bev Craig has been cast as Burnham's protégé and said that she wants to continue and expand many of the changes he started while in charge. These include building more affordable housing, expanding free bus passes, and pushing for more devolution of powers from Westminster. However, she said in a call on the eve of the vote that she would be prepared to stand up to the new prime minister - a friend - if required.
Reform UK's Sian Astley has made major inroads in the May local elections across England and has promised a Day One policy of 'transparency' - including re-investigations into the hot-button subject of sexual exploitation by grooming gangs. She also wants more scrutiny of Burnham-era decisions on housing developments and clean air zones.
The Green Party's Geraldine Coggins has stood in seven elections and been elected as a councilor in Trafford three times. She has relished the growth in campaign resources after recent electoral successes and said that activists had come from as far away as Aberdeen and Cornwall to help out on the doorsteps. Coggins' pitch is that Greater Manchester needs a mayor to stand up to government - rather than a 'Labour apologist', a term she used to describe Craig.
The vote
The mayoralty will once again be decided using the supplementary vote system - and that's caused a little disquiet from Labour's opponents on the right. Voters will be asked to pick a first and second preference. If no candidate gets 50 percent or more of first preference votes, all but the top two candidates will be eliminated. The second preferences of voters who initially backed those losing candidates are then redistributed.
Key points
- The mayoral election in Greater Manchester is a closely contested contest between Labour's Bev Craig, Reform UK's Sian Astley, and the Green Party's Geraldine Coggins.
- The election is a key test of the popularity of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
- The outcome of the election will have implications for the devolution of powers from Westminster to local authorities.
- The mayoralty has a host of powers, including over transport, policing, and housing for more than three million people.
- The supplementary vote system will be used to decide the mayoralty, with voters asked to pick a first and second preference.
If Bev Craig wins the election, she could continue and expand many of the changes Andy Burnham started while in charge. This could lead to more affordable housing, expanded free bus passes, and more devolution of powers from Westminster. Additionally, Craig has promised to stand up to the new prime minister if required, which could lead to a more independent Greater Manchester.
If Sian Astley wins the election, she could bring a more critical eye to the decisions made by the previous mayor, including those related to housing developments and clean air zones. However, her promise of 'transparency' could also lead to re-investigations into sensitive topics like grooming gangs, which could be divisive and difficult to navigate.
