What Andy Burnham's MP bid means for devolved Greater Manchester

Andy Burnham’s potential resignation as mayor of Greater Manchester to run for the Gorton and Denton by-election opens a can of worms for the region. If he steps down, a mayoral by-election could be called, possibly costing around £4m. It’s unclear who would run things in the meantime, but the deputy mayor, Kate Green, would step in unless both she and Burnham are out of action. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority would then need to make decisions collectively.

Burnham has been mayor since May 2017 and was re-elected in May 2024 with 63% of the vote. Unlike him, Green’s role is appointed—not elected. The legislation doesn’t specify how a by-election would be managed, but the Government can call one at any time. This situation is pretty much uncharted territory, leaving Greater Manchester’s political landscape in a bit of a muddle.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News