Labour’s Bev Craig is poised to secure the position of Mayor of Greater Manchester following the largest by-election in Britain’s history.
Ms. Craig is anticipated to take over from Andy Burnham, who stepped down to become the MP for Makerfield last month. The new Prime Minister has established an office in Manchester to centralize operations in the North.
Initially, Reform UK was seen as a strong contender for the sought-after mayoral role, as Mr. Burnham aims to shift power from Westminster to the region. However, activists were redirected to Clacton for a crucial by-election against Nigel Farage’s opponent, Count Binface.
Recent national polls indicate that Labour has surpassed Mr. Farage’s party for the first time in over a year, highlighting Reform UK’s challenges.
While Bev Craig is currently the frontrunner to emerge as the next Greater Manchester mayor, Reform and the Green Party are actively promoting their potential candidacy.
The election today will determine Greater Manchester’s new mayor, marking Labour’s initial electoral test post-Andy Burnham’s departure to Number 10.
Over two million eligible voters from the Greater Manchester area, including towns like Rochdale, Bury, Stockport, Wigan, and Bolton, are expected to participate in the election.
The vote count is set to commence at the Co Op Arena at 9 am, with official results projected later in the early afternoon.
Preliminary voting trends will likely be available before the official results, so stay tuned for real-time updates on this blog.
In a separate development, a café owner in Hastings, Barry Ashley, has been threatened with police action by a Reform council leader for providing free meals to underprivileged children after the removal of food vouchers by the East Sussex County Council.
The council’s decision not to continue the voucher program, which supports struggling families, prompted Mr. Ashley to offer complimentary meals at his non-profit café, with support from local businesses.
In response to the council’s actions, Labour MP Helena Dollimore and Mr. Ashley were accused of inciting hate and potential violence by the council leader, Andy Woolley.
Mr. Ashley criticized the council for neglecting children in need and emphasized the importance of reinstating the vouchers to safeguard vulnerable families.
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Barry Ashley’s initiative to provide free meals for children in the absence of school holiday meal vouchers has garnered support and attention, addressing the pressing issue of child poverty in Hastings.