Full Breakdown
Labour Holds Burnage Council Seat in Close By-Election
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Result of the Burnage By-Election
On the night of September 10, Manchester’s Central Library hosted the count for the Burnage ward by-election. Labour candidate Carl Austin-Behan was declared the winner with 1,365 votes, ahead of Green Party candidate Daoud Nawaz, who received 1,037 votes. The final tally also recorded 315 votes for Reform UK, 466 for the Workers Party of Britain, 31 for the Liberal Democrats and 27 for the Conservatives, bringing total votes cast to 3,254 and a turnout of 23.55 %.
Background & Context
The by-election was triggered after former Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig vacated her Burnage seat upon being elected Greater Manchester mayor in July. In the May 2026 local elections, Labour lost the ward to the Greens by more than 800 votes, a setback that contributed to the party’s overall seat losses across Manchester. The contest was billed as a “crucial” test ahead of the May 2027 local elections, with analysts watching whether Labour could recover the “Burnham bounce” associated with Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Data & Statistics
- Labour: 1,365 votes (? 42 %)
- Green Party: 1,037 votes (? 32 %)
- Workers Party of Britain: 466 votes (? 14 %)
- Reform UK: 315 votes (? 10 %)
- Liberal Democrats: 31 votes (? 1 %)
- Conservatives: 27 votes (? 1 %)
- Turnout: 23.55 % of the ward’s nearly 14,000 registered voters
Labour now holds 64 seats on Manchester City Council, the Greens 21, Reform UK seven, and the Liberal Democrats four.
Official Statements & Responses
- Garry Bridges, Manchester City Council leader, attributed part of the win to the “Burnham bounce,” noting that Labour supporters who had drifted away earlier in the year were returning.
- Bev Craig, now Greater Manchester mayor, posted that she was “absolutely over the moon” to see her “dear friend Carl Austin-Behan” elected.
On-the-Ground Reports
The count room was described as “tense” and “dramatic,” with candidates and polling staff expressing relief that the election might be the last of the year in Manchester. Candidates from different parties were seen sharing moments of camaraderie—most notably a friendly exchange between Green candidate Daoud Nawaz and Reform UK candidate Heather McDonagh—while Workers Party candidate Gaz Ranjha appeared more isolated. By midnight, as the final piles of ballots were tallied, Austin-Behan’s smile signaled Labour’s lead, prompting handshakes among the candidates.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Early coverage noted that the race remained “very close” well into the early hours, with no party able to claim victory. Subsequent official results clarified the final margins, and no alternative counts or disputes have emerged.
What It Means
While the Burnage by-election does not alter Labour’s overall dominance of Manchester City Council, the result offers an early indication of the party’s ability to regain ground after May’s setbacks. The modest turnout underscores ongoing voter disengagement in local contests, a factor both parties will need to address ahead of the 2027 municipal elections.
