Reform UK have accused Labour of a ‘cynical attempt’ to influence elections by overhauling the voting system for mayors. The government is pushing through legislation to replace the current first-past-the-post system to elect mayors with what is known as supplementary voting, where voters choose their first and second preferences among the candidates.
But Reform have attacked Labour over the plans which could be in place before a potential Greater Manchester mayoral by-election in July if Andy Burnham wins in Makerfield. A Reform UK spokesman said: “This move is a blatant and cynical attempt by this Labour government to gerrymander the political process. Changing the voting system for these elections was never in Labour’s manifesto. It’s clear that this is being done as a direct response to Reform’s rapid rise. They are absolutely terrified.”
The Labour Party was approached for comment. A political expert predicted that supplementary voting could make it harder for Reform to win in any potential by-election for the mayor’s job in Greater Manchester. That’s because if no candidate gets 50 per cent of voters in the first round of voting it would go to a second round, with the two candidates who won the highest amount of votes remaining in the race. Second preferences would then be counted and added to the total amount of votes for each candidate.
In a possible situation where the race for Greater Manchester mayor is close between Reform UK and Labour, second preference votes by supporters of other parties such as the Greens could make a huge difference to the outcome. Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester, said in May that Reform could be the ‘biggest losers’ from a move back to supplementary voting because of the size differences between the ‘left and right’ block of voters in Greater Manchester who may give each other their second preferences.
But he stressed that the Greens could just as well benefit from the change in system as Labour. He added: “If the Greens were able to overtake Labour in the first vote, which they’re not miles away from doing, then they could benefit from the second preference votes.”
The government confirmed that it is working to get supplementary voting in place for a potential Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, which would be held on July 30 if Andy Burnham wins in Makerfield. The change in voting is wrapped up in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, which was first introduced last year and gained Royal assent this April. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has previously said it would work ‘at pace’ to bring about the change.
Supplementary voting was the first method used to elect mayors when the roles were first established by the Local Government Act 2000, and was considered to be the most suitable choice for polling. The voting system was then changed by the Elections Act 2022, which removed the Supplementary Vote system and replaced it with a simple majority (first-past-the-post) system. This was done under the previous Conservative government. Now Labour look set to change the system once again back to supplementary voting.
With the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 gaining Royal assent, secondary legislation is needed to make the required changes to conduct rules, ballot papers, postal voting statements, and guidance and instructions to voters. A government spokesperson said: “We have always said we want to implement this as soon as possible and our intention is for secondary legislation to be in force subject to Parliamentary process.”
Labour MP Samantha Dixon, minister for building safety, fire, and democracy, gave an update in Parliament over the change in voting systems in May. She said: “When elected mayors were first established by the Local Government Act 2000, they were elected using the supplementary vote system. This system, which is suitable for the election of single executive office holders, such as mayors, ensures a broader level of support for the person elected. This government has always been clear that supplementary vote is the more appropriate system for electing mayors.
“The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, reintroduces the supplementary vote system for mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections. It was the clear intention of the government, as stated during parliamentary passage of the Act, that this return to supplementary vote would be implemented ahead of any future relevant elections after May 2026.”
Around 2.1 million people are registered to vote in Greater Manchester’s mayoral elections, and of these, around 400,000 choose to do so by post.
