Star date: 8th May 2021

BURNHAM GETS 67.31% OF VOTE FOR GREATER MANCHESTER MAYOR

The Labour Party's popular Andy Burnham absolutely stormed the election for Greater Manchester Mayor at today's count, polling a massive 67.31% of the vote, or 473,024 votes. His nearest rival, the Conservative's Laura Evans was way behind with 137,753 votes.

A massive 11,743 ballot papers were rejected during the count, and the average turnout for the whole of Greater Manchester was 34.74%.

Full results here...

Andy Burnham came out a huge and popular winner at today's count for Greater Manchester Mayor, polling 67.31% of the vote, or 473,024 votes. Second was Laura Evans for the Conservative Party, way behind on 137,753 votes, and third was Melanie Horrocks for the Green Party with 30,699 votes.

The full results are...

Nick Buckley – Reform UK – 18,910
Andy Burnham – Labour Party – 473,024
Laura Evans – Conservative Party – 137,753
Marcus Farmer – Independent – 6,448
Melanie Horrocks – Green Party – 30,699
Simon Lepori – Liberal Democrats – 22,373
Alec Marvel – Independent – 1,907
Stephen Morris – English Democrats – 9,488
David Sutcliffe – Independent – 2,182

A massive 11,743 ballot papers were rejected – 5,177 papers were rejected for 'voting for more than one candidate as to the first preference vote'; 100 were rejected for 'writing or mark by which voter could be identified', and 6,466 papers were rejected for 'unmarked or void for uncertainty as to the first preference vote' (?).

The turnout for the whole of Greater Manchester was 34.74% (Salford 28.77%). For more details on the turnout see previous Salford Star article – click here.

Following his re-election Andy Burnham said he will continue to be a voice "for all people and all communities...I will continue to adopt a place first, not party first approach...

"When the Government gets it right and treats us fairly I will work with them but where they don't I will challenge them for you as forcefully as I can" he added "Greater Manchester expects nothing less."

He said that the result meant people are sending a message that they want more devolution..."They value the stronger voice that it's given to the North of England and they expect us to use it..." he explained, adding that 'better jobs, better homes and better transport' were his top priorities.

He concluded that the result was a massive mandate to bring buses back under public control and promised a London-style public transport system – the B Network – with London level fares.

For the Salford local election results – click here

For the Salford City Mayor election results – click here