Greater Manchester Votes to Replace Burnham as Mayor
Polls were open across Greater Manchester on Thursday in the by-election to choose a successor to Andy Burnham as mayor, with more than two million people eligible to vote. The contest, triggered by his move to Downing Street, pits Labour against Reform UK and others, and is seen as an early test of the political mood. Counting is due to begin after polls close, with a result expected overnight.
The mayoralty is one of the most powerful directly elected posts outside London, with authority over transport, housing and policing across the city region. Mr Burnham held it for eight years and used it to build the national profile that carried him to Downing Street, so the result will hint at whether Labour’s strength in the region was his or the party’s. A low summer turnout could flatter insurgent challengers. The outcome lands as the new government enjoys an early polling boost. Watch the declaration overnight and the margin over Reform.