Candidates revealed for Greater Manchester Mayor
Reform UK is the last of the major parties to put forward its contender to replace Andy Burnham: Sian Astley, a recently elected councillor for Baguley.
Joining Astley on the ballot are, in alphabetical order, the Green’s Geraldine Coggins, Labour’s Bev Craig, Conservative’s Phil Eckersley, Liberal Democrats’ Richard Kilpatrick, and Restore Britain’s Marlon West.
The Greater Manchester Mayoral Election will be held on 30 July.
Sian Astley – Reform UK
Astley is a renovation and interiors specialist and the founder of Moregeous Design. She is also a TV presenter and events host.
She won her seat on Manchester City Council after securing 1,329 votes – 400 more than her closet rival, incumbent and Labour politician Paul Andrews. She is a member of the city council’s planning committee.
She has said that if elected she will look into deals done during Burnham’s tenure.
“One of my first acts as Mayor will be to open up the books on contracts Andy Burnham awarded during his time as Labour’s Mayor, at least one of which was to a company which made substantial donations to his Mayoral campaign.”
Astley is likely referring to the award of at least £338,400 in publicity contracts to EY3 Media, which donated £45,000 in the form of promotional videos to Burnham’s 2021 and 2024 mayoral runs, according to The Times. The GMCA has said Burnham was not involved in deciding those contract awards, which had gone through a procurement process.
Geraldine Coggins is the Green Party candidate. Credit: The Green Party
Geraldine Coggins – Green
Coggins is a councillor for Altrincham and a member of Trafford Council’s investment management board.
She is a former academic with a passion for philosophy.
Coggins has positioned herself as the only true answer to the rise of Reform.
“People are feeling abandoned by Labour and want real change to deliver affordable homes, thriving local communities, and a healthier environment,” she said.
“They are tired of being told to settle for less. This campaign will offer a positive vision for the future of Greater Manchester and show that Green leadership can deliver real change.”
Bev Craig is the Labour candidate. Credit: via RDPR
Bev Craig – Labour
The most senior politician of those running for the post, Craig is the Leader of Manchester City Council. She is also the lead for the economy, business, and inclusive growth at the combined authority.
In addition to politics, she has also worked for a national trade union and in higher education.
Craig has said that as mayor she will create a “High Streets Fund” and more council homes.
“As mayor I will apply a simple test: will it make life better?” she said. “That’s why I’m standing to be mayor – to build a Greater Manchester that works for everyone.”
Phil Eckersley is the Conservative Party candidate for Greater Manchester Mayor. Credit: via Conservative Party
Phil Eckersley – Conservative
Eckersley is the councillor for Bowdon and the shadow executive member for health and care for Trafford Council. He has a seat on the planning committee.
He is the founder of Bridgewater Home Care in Wigan.
He pledged to devote more attention to the towns and communities outside of Manchester city centre.
“Greater Manchester is my home, and it’s a region with enormous potential, but too often decisions are made with a focus on Manchester city centre – with the outer boroughs getting left behind,” he said.
He added: “The Conservative Party has a clear vision for Greater Manchester – safer streets, better transport, thriving local businesses, responsible development and value for taxpayers’ money.”
Richard Kilpatrick is the Liberal Democrats candidate. Credit: via the Liberal Democrats
Richard Kilpatrick – Liberal Democrat
Kilpatrick is a former teacher and current councillor for Didsbury West. He is a member of the city council’s planning committee.
Kilpatrick is a passionate advocate for investment in social care and of closer ties between the UK and EU.
Regarding his campaign, Kilpatrick said: “Our region has so much potential but voters have been let down by Labour’s complacency, whilst all Reform offer is division.
“In this election we have a real opportunity to champion the issues that matter most to people, from making transport more affordable, investing in social care and restoring neighbourhood policing to truly make people in our community feel safe.”
Marlon West – Restore Britain
West is a former mental health nurse and current campaigner against child sexual exploitation.
In announcing West’s candidacy on X, Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe MP, said that West “would push to attract genuine business investment, cut wasteful public spending including on the GMCA’s own bloated administration, protect greenfield land from developers, and overhaul a transport network that has failed commuters for years.”
Marlon West will get my vote, 2nd choice would be Sian .The others are all shills
By Anonymous
Transport is not the problem, the right to feel safe in my country as a Black British person is. 💚 Is the only party that seems to understand my anxiety !
By Michael
Bev Craig will have the ear of the new Prime Minister so is the obvious choice for anyone wanting the best for Greater Manchester. A Reform mayor would be a disaster and put GM back 20 years.
By Anonymous
Marlon will get my vote, children deserve to be safe and I believe Marlon will tackle the sex exploitation of innocent children.
By Anonymous
What. The Reform UK mayor’s first act will be, not to improve housing, transport or something positive etc. but to go after another politician. What a load of rubbish.
By Anonymous
Marlon West will get my vote.
By J.Boff
Five of the six candidates had something positive to say about investment in Greater Manchester, the Reform candidate on the other hand just wants to dig dirt on the previous mayor. Typical Reform politician.
By Anonymous
Marlon West gets my vote
By Scott
Some of these candidates lack political experience.
By Anonymous
People will complain about the increase in crime and decrease in education standards health outcomes and yet they will vote Labour again because they always have.
By Anonymous
With that candidate list it’s a walk in for Craig isn’t it? Such low calibre.
By Anonymous
Bev Craig for me. West does not even want you to see what he looks like, typical Restore hiding in plain sight.
By Anonymous
Marlon West is getting my vote
By Anonymous
Marlon West purely for the facts he is an ex nurse and anyone who tackles child sex exploitation is a good ‘un in my book .
By Mrs G
Will workers party have candidate
By Anon
Restore all the way
By Anonymous
Marlon West will be getting my vote, we need some new stock and Labour is old hat, ready for the junk yard! Lots to do in Greater Manchester NOT just in the city centre.
By Paula
Sian Astley will get my vote as far the reason I can’t comment as we’ve lost the freedom of speech i think that’s enough said
By Anonymous
Why has Bev Craig got a ‘READ MORE’ telling us what she needs to do to win’, when none of the other candidates have??? What is the reason for this?
By Susan Eckersley
All the other candidates get a photo and more than two short paragraphs… typical! Matter not. Marlon West for GM Mayor!!!
By Anony Mous
The only fit person for PM is Kemi Badenoch, she will build a fit and proper, centre right, Conservative Party so Phil Eckersley will get my vote
By Anonymous
Galloway for the workers! No thank you
By Anonymous
Vote West for Mayor. Adam West !
By Anonymous
I’m so glad that restore have a candidate in Manchester I’m voting for restore and for the future of this once great nation, the transport is a shambles, ladies and our children have a right to feel safe and we don’t because of labour and the Conservatives failings in my opinion, so bring back common sense and safety, bring in restore.
By Anonymous
Sian Astley is the perfect choice
By Anonymous
Liverpool city mayor votes on the 7th may 2027 it can be reform like Greater Manchester mayor Sian Astley then all the Northwest will be disaster I guess.
By G J Kitchener
Interesting to see Reform/Restore voters claiming to care about women and children when their key figures keep getting arrested. Of course, most of us are well aware that these people only pretend to care about women and children when they can use it to attack minority groups. Most normal people care about women and children’s rights unconditionally – and that’s why people who truly care about women’s rights in particular, would never vote Reform/Restore.
By stop using twitter
Supplementary vote ….no run-off…like France …bev Craig needs to win on the 1st vote ..52%..or anything goes ..
I feel it will be labour …reform top 2
Reform can win on 2nd choice
This is wide – open…
By Anonymous
If Reform win that mean will be no taxpayers for plans or upgrade or skyscrapers. There will be no room for improvement because new Reform government money funds will be very very skint like Margaret Thatcher style and UK authority will be disaster. Road pothole and councils street bin will be major problem. Lots of British homeless caused by the Labour government that spend all money for immigration hotels that was £8 millions a day by Sir Keir starmer government that where damaged from. All of you must think about that one in the comments here 👍🏻
By G J Kitchener
Loving the Reform/Restore bloc who’ve discovered PNW as a place to have their say, but of course you can’t have your say anymore can you, you know what I mean, you just can’t say things anymore but please listen whilst I say more about what I can’t say anymore. The irony being that Restore and Reform genuinely would restrict your ability to say what you want if they ever got the chance to do so.
‘Vote Eckersley for a Badenoch government’ has also cheered my day. Not for the reasons Mrs Eckersley assumes. And it would be a brave person who supports a man who took on his council’s own conservation team with regards to his own house and lost.
By Makeitmakesense
MARLON WEST….
By Anonymous
Reform winning on the second vote feels unlikely. They might come top on the first round, but they surely won’t get enough to win outright. If you’re a LD or Green voting anyone but Labour as no. 2 you’re a barmpot, frankly. Reform might pick up some Restore 2nd votes if they can actually work out how to do this. Tory 2nd votes are an unknown – you might expect them to go Reform, but decent Tories will baulk at that now they’re true colours are on show. But I think Labour 1st + LD/Gn 2nd votes = Labour win.
By Maths?
I am sure a RMN would make an excellent mayor. Vote for the Reform candidate.
By Michael Casey
Reform leader received a £5 million gift from a crypto currency billionaire. Reform continue to promote crypto currency and apparently according to Farage this is none of our business. Reform really are not fit to have the GM mayor or any kind of power.
By Anonymous
This is a no-brainer. Bev Craig has close connections to Burnham. If we want this conurbation she is the only choice. Burnham might just give all the new investment to Leeds or Liverpool if Labour don’t win this seat. Reform are hopeless. They have a made a pig’s ear of Lancashire. This region was decimated by Thatcher, so do we really want more of that? God help us.
By Elephant
Are any of these candidates going to bring in a ulez or congestion charge
By Anonymous
I should commence by stating I have worked in india the middle east and africa and I find all people equal. My concern is illegal immigration which is adding to the pressure on services housing and communities. If this problem was resolved we can address the issues in this country. A lot of the problems would be resolved actual and imagined if we remove illegal immigrants of which we are told approach one million. It appears the only party willing to undertake this task is Reform. Conservatives allowed them to flood in, Labour want to build them houses, Liberal wants us to love them and the Greens well what can I say. Reform does not have to be forever but lets clean house and start afresh.
By anonymous
unfortunately talking about ideas and putting them into action rarely happens.
Sian Astley will get my vote as she appears to talk common sense, time till tell.
By One of the old brigade
I’d love to see how one of the old brigade makes those two sentences work together when Sian Astley is representing an organisation that is failing to deal with the problems it’s taking on at authorities around the country and nationally is simply in the business of promoting itself as a vehicle to raise the profile of one man.
Vote Reform for GM to go backwards.
By Northern Monkey
to echo @elephant a big part of GM’s success is key parts of it’s local government have been run by competent people. TBH I’m actually unsure whether Burnham will be a good PM, but I’m pretty sure Bev Craig would make a very capable mayor, and the city region doesn’t need to make a statement about national politics. Big shoes to fill @MCC though.
By Rich X
There we go. One man raising his profile whilst running from his own responsibilities. And still people will kid themselves that Reform care about them. You’re being mugged off by a privileged, rich man for his own benefit.
By Northern Monkey
Sian Astley or Marlon West gets my vote. All the other candidates are a waste of space and not worth voting for
By Anonymous
And there we go. Nigel causes a problem all by himself and straight away the foot soldiers are ordered to tramp down south to help him out of the rubbish situation he’s put himself in and to leave GM to sort itself out. Some of you probably still think he cares about you. He doesn’t even care about his political allies.
By Northern Monkey
Voting for Marlon West. The only one who seems to genuinely care about greater Manchester.
By Anonymous
I would have voted for Marlon west but not for his party , might not bother voting , it just seems too centric on the city of Manchester , what about the rest of greater Manchester.
By Anonymous
Marlon or Ashley are the only two I would even consider. The rest of them don’t even come close to a vote from me.
By Anonymous