Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Devolved combined authority for ten Greater Manchester boroughs; Andy Burnham its directly elected mayor since 2017.
Labour's Bev Craig won Greater Manchester's mayoralty on 30 July 2026, the authority's first contest ever sent to a second round, succeeding Andy Burnham after his move to Downing Street.
Last refreshed: 12 August 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
If Burnham goes to Westminster, who leads Greater Manchester and what happens to the Bee Network?
Timeline for Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Craig puts £20m into high streets
UK Local Elections 2026Craig wins Manchester in its first second round
UK Local Elections 2026Mentioned in: Burnham pitches a 'No. 10 North'
UK Local Elections 2026Josh Simons quits Makerfield for Burnham
UK Local Elections 2026Mentioned in: How English mayors got the transfer vote back
UK Local Elections 2026Background
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) was established in April 2011 and covers ten local authority areas, Manchester, Salford, Trafford, Stockport, Tameside, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Wigan and Bolton, with a combined population of approximately 2.9 million. It holds devolved powers over transport, including the Bee Network buses and Metrolink, housing and planning strategy, economic development, adult skills, and, from 2016, health and social care integration. It is the UK's most extensive devolution settlement outside London and Scotland.
Andy Burnham was the GMCA's directly elected mayor from May 2017 until his departure for Downing Street in July 2026. Under his tenure the authority delivered the Bee Network, the first fully franchised bus network in England since deregulation in 1986, and became a template for later combined authorities in West Yorkshire, West Midlands and South Yorkshire, each of which copied its directly elected mayoral model.
Burnham's exit forced a snap contest
Mayor Andy Burnham needed a Commons seat before he could enter the Labour leadership race, which is why Josh Simons stood down from Makerfield on 14 May 2026 to clear one for him. Burnham's own move to Downing Street on 20 July then Left the Greater Manchester mayoralty vacant for the first time since the office was created.
The resulting election on 30 July went to a second round for the first time in the authority's history: Labour's Bev Craig won it, beating Reform's Sian Astley as her support rose from 47.1% to 66.3% on transfers, while turnout fell to a record-low 25.1%.
Reference
How many people live in Greater Manchester?
What is the Bee Network and why is it significant?
What powers does the Greater Manchester Combined Authority have?
What happens to Greater Manchester if Andy Burnham becomes Labour leader?
