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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Josh Halliday North of England editor

Polls open in Greater Manchester mayoral byelection overshadowed by new PM and Farage’s antics

Bev Craig campaigning: she is standing in front of a crowd taking a selfie. People behind her hold signs saying Vote Labour and Vote Bev For Us. She is in her early 40s and has short fair hair, and wears glasses, a white T-shirt and dark trousers.
Polling gives Bev Craig, the Labour leader of Manchester city council, a 20 percentage point lead over the Reform candidate. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

Voting has begun in the biggest byelection in British political history, with more than 2 million people eligible to choose Andy Burnham’s successor as Greater Manchester mayor.

In normal times, such a large and politically significant byelection would have dominated the headlines for weeks, particularly as senior Labour figures only weeks ago feared losing the prize mayoralty to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

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