Bev Craig: Mayoral Election Could Unlock Benefits of Burnham's PM Bid

Greater Manchester mayoral candidate Bev Craig has declared that voters face the "biggest mayoral election the region has ever had", arguing that the winner could help unlock the benefits of Andy Burnham's planned "No 10 North" when he becomes Prime Minister.

Craig's Vision for a Special Moment

Ms Craig, who worked closely with Burnham during his time as mayor, said Greater Manchester was on the cusp of a "special moment" and that having the former mayor in Downing Street could help deliver long-awaited infrastructure projects. She also dismissed suggestions published over the weekend that she was at odds with Mr Burnham over trans rights.

"It's really hard to not be excited about this," the Labour councillor told the Manchester Evening News at a roundtable event in Bolton. "I've worked closely with Andy. I don't think you can downplay what a special moment it could be for Greater Manchester. You could have the former Mayor of Greater Manchester as prime minister, with a new mayor with a great working relationship with Andy, and a Number 10 in the north based in Manchester, and what that all unlocks."

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Infrastructure and Red Tape

Ms Craig spoke to business owners and charity heads in Bolton, highlighting the region's neglect. "For the last decade the central government has told us critical infrastructure like the Westhoughton bypass is too expensive, so they're not going to fund it. If this was in the South it would be funded. Having No 10 up here will mean we can cut through the red tape. That's why I think this is the biggest mayoral election that GM has ever had. People have the choice to vote for somebody that could work with the Prime Minister to get stuff done for the place."

The Manchester City Council leader attended an event at the Girlguiding Headquarters in Smithills, where she spoke to local businesses about how to fix Bolton’s struggling high streets. Ms Craig is expected to make an announcement later this week setting out her policies on investing in areas outside Manchester city centre.

Spreading Growth and Free Bus Fares

The Labour councillor admitted to feeling a little tired after staying up to watch the England match on Sunday night, but reasserted her commitment to 'spreading the growth' Manchester has experienced in recent years to other boroughs. It’s one way she intends to 'go further' than her predecessor, she says. Another way is by extending free bus fares to all 11 to 16-year-olds, building on the existing scheme for teens between 16 and 18.

A recent article in The Times suggested Andy Burnham’s buses are currently 'unsustainable without a fare rise' as uptake of the service hasn’t been as successful as the GMCA hoped. But asked if her plans would put further financial strain on the Combined Authority, Ms Craig pushed back: "I've done the numbers. It stacks up. The extension will be met through a number of existing funding streams. But also by new money that will be coming in by the end of my term through the tourist tax, which has been confirmed for the end of 2027/28 financial year."

Trans Rights Dispute

And it’s not the only headline in the press the Labour candidate has a bone to pick with. This weekend, the Telegraph attempted to paint her and Mr Burnham as at odds with each other over trans rights issues. Mr Burnham recently said "the time has come" to protect single-sex spaces, while Ms Craig has consistently argued that women's rights and trans rights can both be protected.

Ms Craig said she believed the former Mayor’s comments were taken out of context. "The Telegraph had a lovely time with me over the weekend. The reality is that if the worst the right wing press has on me is sticking up for trans people, I can live with that. They’ll need to try harder. I've not spoken to Andy Burnham in the past few days so I'm not clear on what he said and how he said it, but I've been very consistent in my view that you can stand up for women's rights and stand up for trans rights. The politics of pitting people against each other isn’t remotely healthy. At the same time, throughout my time at the council I have protected single sex spaces like women's refuges and stood up for trans people. It isn't a binary argument."

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Asked if she would push back against Burnham if national policy started to move towards more discrimination against trans people, Ms Craig added: 'my views are very clear'.