Article #88112

Polling puts close Burnham ally in lead as she aims to defeat Reform and draw back support from revitalised Greens

Bev Craig was mid-squat at the gym when she was recognised for the first time as the prospective heir to Andy Burnham’s throne. Until recently, the Manchester city council leader could happily have gone about her workout in peace.

But all that changed when Burnham, who DJ’ed at her 40th birthday party last year, won the Makerfield byelection and set up another big electoral contest on his way to becoming prime minister.