Bev Craig: Belfast native elected Manchester Mayor

A sizeable victory for Labour

A Belfast woman is the new mayor of Greater Manchester. Labour’s Bev Craig has been elected to the role, succeeding Andy Burnham.

The result was announced late on Friday night, more than 24 hours after polling stations closed, in a comfortable win on a low turnout, as BBC News reported. Craig took 47% of first-preference votes, just short of the 50% needed to win outright under the Supplementary Vote system, forcing a second round against Reform UK’s Sian Astley. After second preferences were distributed, Craig finished on 309,525 votes to Astley’s 157,178.

Who is Bev Craig?

Craig grew up on a council estate in Belfast before moving to Manchester in 2003, aged 18, to study politics and modern history; her mother still lives in Belfast, as RTÉ News reported. The contest was triggered by Burnham’s election to Parliament last month. More than two million people were eligible to vote, but turnout was just under 25%.

Craig’s win adds another name to the long list of people from the island of Ireland making their mark in British public life. For more Irish news, stay with us.

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Belfast native Bev Craig elected Mayor of Greater Manchester

Home politics

A sizeable victory for Labour

Who is Bev Craig?

Belfast native Bev Craig elected Mayor of Greater Manchester

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A sizeable victory for Labour

Who is Bev Craig?

Home politics