The Unlikely Contest for Greater Manchester's Next Mayor The polls have closed in the hotly contested by election to determine the next mayor of Greater Manchester, a region of over 2 million people that has been a Labour stronghold for decades.
Andy Burnham's sudden departure from the mayoralty has sparked a battle for control among Labour, still reeling from its loss of key constituencies in recent elections.
Labour candidate Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, was favored to win going into Thursday's ballot. However, her primary challengers were not what anyone expected.