Bev Craig
Labour and Co-operative politician elected Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2026.
Craig, Labour's candidate, won Greater Manchester's mayoralty on 30 July 2026 after the contest's first-ever second round, then launched a 20 million pound high streets fund on 10 August.
Last refreshed: 12 August 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Bev Craig led by 26 points; why did the contest still need a second round?
Timeline for Bev Craig
Launched a £20 million Good Growth High Streets Fund
UK Local Elections 2026: Craig puts £20m into high streetsWon Greater Manchester's mayoralty after second-round transfers
UK Local Elections 2026: Craig wins Manchester in its first second roundBackground
Bev Craig is a Labour and Co-operative politician WHO led Manchester City Council before winning the Greater Manchester mayoralty. She stood as Labour's candidate in the by-election called after Andy Burnham left the office on his PATH to Downing Street.
Her win came only after the contest went to a second round for the first time in the mayoralty's history, under the Supplementary Vote system restored for English mayors earlier in 2026.
Craig holds the office only until the scheduled 2028 election, a comparatively short initial term in which to build her own mandate for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, whose REMIT spans transport spending, Mayoral Development Corporations, the Fire and Rescue budget and policing powers over Greater Manchester Police.
Craig wins Manchester's mayoralty
Craig led the first count on 30 July with 251,449 first preferences (47.1%), short of the outright win required, then took 309,525 votes (66.3%) once second preferences transferred, beating Reform UK's Sian Astley. It was the first time the Greater Manchester mayoralty had needed a second round.
Ten days into the job, on 10 August, Craig launched a 20 million pound Good Growth High Streets Fund on a visit to Middleton, alongside a new taskforce. The money sits within her economic development powers rather than the region's larger transport budget, and business and community bids open later in 2026.