Labour's Northern Stronghold Is No Longer a Certainty

Bev Craig's nomination as Labour's candidate for Greater Manchester Mayor comes against a backdrop of fractured party dominance. Reform UK's council gains across the north in 2024–2025 signal that Labour cannot assume it holds the region's mayoralty come May 2028. The election will serve as a barometer for whether that pressure has stabilised or deepened—a test of Labour's grip on a region it cannot afford to lose.