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Voters in Manchester choose a mayor to replace Andy Burnham, who left city hall for Downing Street
Labour's candidate leads in polls as the by-election tests whether Burnham's leadership change can reverse the party's recent electoral losses.
- On Thursday, July 30, 2026, more than 2 million voters in Greater Manchester cast ballots to elect a successor to former Mayor Andy Burnham, who vacated the post to become Prime Minister.
- This by-election uses the supplementary vote method, where voters mark first and second choices, after Burnham resigned earlier this year to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.
- Labour candidate Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, leads polling at 39 per cent, suggesting Labour is rebounding since damaging local elections in May.
- Reform UK's Sian Astley and Green Party candidate Geraldine Coggins challenge Craig, capitalizing on recent gains including Reform's 106 council seats won in May and the Greens' February parliamentary by-election victory.
- University of Manchester professor Rob Ford calls the vote a "helpful first exam" for Burnham, noting a Craig victory would validate Labour's efforts to reverse the popularity decline that began under Starmer.
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42 Articles
42 Articles
Labour, Reform and Restore await verdict as polls close in race to replace Andy Burnham
Labour, Reform and Restore await verdict as polls close in race to replace Andy Burnham . Labour, Reform UK and Restore Britain are awaiting results as polls have closed in the race to replace Andy Burnham
·London, United Kingdom
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The vote count will begin on Friday morning
·Madrid, Spain
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(London=Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = A by-election to elect the Mayor of Greater Manchester, a position left vacant as British Prime Minister Andy Burnham moved to become a Member of Parliament...
·Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
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Voting opens in biggest ever by-election to replace Burnham as Manchester Mayor
Bev Craig insisted Greater Manchester's 'best days are still ahead of us' as polling stations opened at 7am on Thursday in the mayoral contest triggered by Andy Burnham's Westminster comeback
·London, United Kingdom
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Total News Sources42
Leaning Left15Leaning Right8Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Left
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left
43% Left
L 43%
C 34%
R 23%
Factuality
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