Six candidates took part in the Manchester Evening News mayoral hustings on Wednesday afternoon at Chetham's School of Music, each given 60 seconds to answer questions on housing, transport, crime, and the economy. The event was hosted in the Carole Nash Hall.
Geraldine Coggins (Green Party) – 8/10
Coggins delivered a confident performance, consistently framing Labour as having let down Greater Manchester while focusing on city centre deals. Her strongest moment was tackling Reform UK over 'crypto funding' and Nigel Farage, drawing significant applause. However, her claim that Green supporters would not back Labour with second preferences drew groans, as did her assertion that the race was between Reform and Greens.
Sian Astley (Reform UK) – 7.5/10
Astley started nervously but warmed up, showing strong communication skills. On immigration, she addressed it as 'the elephant in the room' without resorting to hardline rhetoric. She struggled, however, to defend against the Green candidate's criticism of Reform's crypto funding, appearing to distance herself from the party.
Bev Craig (Labour) – 7/10
Craig answered questions comfortably and in detail, with a spirited defence of trans rights drawing applause. But she faced repeated attacks over the failure of Manchester's economic boom to spread beyond the city centre. Her defence citing the good growth fund did not fully address the panel's criticism of Labour's long tenure in the region.
Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 6/10
Kilpatrick appeared at ease and made strong statements, such as proposing the entire Bee Network be free. He was the only candidate to directly state he would back Bev Craig with his second preference vote. However, his answers sometimes lacked depth.
Marlon West (Restore Britain) – 5/10
West seemed uncomfortable and drew boos for defending mass deportations and hostility to the trans community. His most powerful moment came when speaking emotionally about his daughter, which silenced the room. His answer on safe spaces for kids was seen as parochial.
Phil Eckersley (Conservative) – 4.5/10
Eckersley cut an imposing figure but struggled to articulate a clear vision for Greater Manchester. His selection of the Earl of Bridgewater as a political hero caused confusion, and he often seemed to misunderstand questions, such as on hospitality.
The ratings reflect who worked the room best, not political agreement. Coggins' campaign-like performance impressed, while Astley exceeded expectations for a non-politician. Craig's competence was evident but she faced sustained attacks. Eckersley's performance was deemed disappointing.
