Manchester Votes for New Mayor After Andy Burnham Becomes UK Prime Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 2026 – Voters across Greater Manchester are heading to the polls to elect a new mayor after Andy Burnham left the position to become Britain’s prime minister.

Polling stations opened from 7am until 10pm on Thursday, with vote counting scheduled to begin on Friday morning. Around two million eligible voters are expected to take part in an election that could provide an important indication of public sentiment towards the Labour government.

Burnham served as mayor of Greater Manchester for nine years before winning a parliamentary seat in a special election last month. His return to Parliament paved the way for a challenge to then-prime minister Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour Party.

Starmer later announced his resignation after two years in office. Burnham stood unopposed in Labour’s leadership election and officially became prime minister on July 20.

Since entering Downing Street, Burnham has opened a branch of the prime minister’s office in Manchester known as “No. 10 North.” The move forms part of his pledge to transfer more powers to regional leaders and encourage economic growth beyond London.

Greater Manchester has a population of approximately three million and includes Manchester city as well as several surrounding towns. Burnham previously secured three consecutive mayoral victories in 2017, 2021 and 2024.

Labour is seeking to retain control of the mayoralty through Bev Craig, the current leader of Manchester City Council. Burnham has publicly endorsed Craig and urged voters to support her in continuing the work carried out during his administration.

Craig is competing against six other candidates, including Reform UK’s Sian Astley. Reform UK made significant gains in several parts of Greater Manchester during the local elections in May, increasing pressure on Labour in an area it has traditionally dominated.

Labour has also faced growing competition from the Green Party. The Greens won a special parliamentary election in Greater Manchester’s Gorton and Denton constituency in February, pushing Labour into third place.

That defeat, followed by Labour’s poor performance in the May local elections, intensified concerns over Starmer’s leadership and contributed to the political developments that eventually brought Burnham to power.

Political observers view the mayoral contest as more than a local election. A strong Labour victory would reinforce Burnham’s authority shortly after becoming prime minister, while a weaker-than-expected result could expose continuing dissatisfaction with the governing party.

University of Manchester politics professor Rob Ford said Labour would be seeking a clear show of strength in a region where it has long held political influence. He added that a major victory in Burnham’s former political base would provide a significant boost to the new prime minister.