Reform UK announces candidate for Greater Manchester mayoral election

Reform UK has unveiled its candidate to be the next Greater Manchester Mayor. Nigel Farage's party has announced that businesswoman and councillor Sian Astley will run in the contest on July 30.

The race comes after Labour's Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election and is expected to enter 10 Downing Street within weeks. Ms Astley is a Reform councillor for Baguley, Wythenshawe, and the party's leader on Manchester City Council.

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She said: “I am delighted to be chosen as Reform UK’s candidate for Mayor Greater Manchester - I am determined to improve communities and the lives of working people.

“Over the years, we have all seen our towns and areas across Greater Manchester decline, with high streets left unattended, unfunded and unloved. They need to be placed front and centre again.

“One of my first acts as Mayor will be to open up the books on contracts Andy Burnham awarded during his time as Labour’s Mayor, at least one of which was to a company which made substantial donations to his Mayoral campaign.

“Politics needs real people with real-life experience. People like me.”

Ms Astley is a graduate of Manchester University and currently lives in Fallowfield where she runs a design and property business.

She will go up against Labour’s Bev Craig, the leader of Manchester City Council, Tory Trafford councillor Phil Eckersley, and the Green Party’s Geraldine Coggins, who is also a Trafford councillor.