Summary
Bev Craig is a Labour councillor in Burnage, Manchester, England, and Leader of Manchester City Council.[1] As leader she is also a member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and is the combined authority's portfolio lead for Economy, Business and Inclusive Growth.[2]
Bev Craig | |
|---|---|
| Leader of Manchester City Council | |
| Assumed office 1 December 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Leese |
| Member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority | |
| Assumed office December 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Leese |
| Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council | |
| In office 19 May 2021 – 1 December 2021 Serving with Luthfur Rahman | |
| Member of Manchester City Council for Burnage | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2011 Serving with Azra Ali and Ben Clay | |
| Preceded by | John Cameron |
| Majority | 2,615 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
Craig was elected Leader of Manchester City Council by the ruling Labour group of councillors in October 2021, and officially succeeded Richard Leese at a full meeting of the council on his retirement on 1 December 2021.[3]
Biography edit
Craig is originally from Belfast and is the city council’s first female and LGBT leader. She grew up on a council estate just outside Belfast and moved to Manchester from Northern Ireland in 2003. She told the BBC: "I grew up in social housing and my family still rely on it. I know the value of [what] the safety net of a good quality home can give you when times are tough." and that she wanted "to reach a point where me being a woman and being gay is entirely uninteresting and unremarkable".[4]
She graduated from Manchester University in 2007 with a degree in politics and modern history and later gaining a postgraduate in Local Government Management from Warwick Business School and a MA in public policy and governance from UoM, both whilst working full time. She has held a range of jobs across local government, higher education and working for the trade union UNISON.
Before she was appointed as deputy leader of the council in May 2021, she spent four years as executive member for adult services, health, wellbeing and inclusion. She was also deputy chair of Manchester Health and Care Commissioning and co-chair of the Manchester Local Care Organisation.[5][6]
References edit
- ^ ""I don't want to be pigeonholed": Manchester's new town hall leader on who she is and what comes next". Manchester Evening News. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Councillor Bev Craig". Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ Bardsley, Andrew (5 October 2021). "Bev Craig announced as new leader of Manchester council, the first woman to take on the role". Manchester Evening News. Reach plc. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
She will take over from Sir Richard on December 1.
- ^ "Bev Craig elected first female leader of Manchester City Council". BBC. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ "Manchester's new leader – Meet Bev Craig". Place North West. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ Griffiths, Niall (18 May 2021). "Manchester council makes history by electing an openly gay councillor and an elected member of Bangladeshi heritage to serve as deputy leaders". Manchester Evening News. Reach plc. Retrieved 6 October 2021.