Labour wins UK's Greater Manchester mayoral by-election

The Labour Party candidate will succeed Andy Burnham as the new mayor of Greater Manchester following a decisive victory in Thursday's election, keeping the seat in the ruling party’s hands.

After no candidate secured a victory in the first round of the election by winning more than half of the vote, Bev Craig beat Reform UK's Sian Astley by 309,525 to 157,178 after second-preference votes were added, the BBC reported.

Craig, 42, the Manchester city council leader, will now succeed Burnham, who last month rose to the country’s prime ministry.

Craig secured 47% of the vote compared with Astley's 21% in the first round of the election, which had a turnout of just 25%.

The Greater Manchester by-election was called after Burnham was elected MP for Makerfield in Greater Manchester in June, paving the way for him to become prime minister, succeeding Keir Starmer, who stepped down after a series of setbacks.