The 2026 Manchester City Council election took place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom. One third of councillors (32) on Manchester City Council were up for election.
The Green Party won 18 of the 32 seats being contested and also took the most votes. Labour retained control of the council, but with a significantly reduced majority.
Background
History In the previous election in 2024, Labour won 30 of the 33 seats up for election with 53% of the vote, the Green Party won 1 seat with 17% of the vote, the Liberal Democrats won 1 seat with 10% of the vote and the Workers Party won 1 seat with 5% of the vote.
Candidates up for re-election in 2026 were those who were elected in 2022.
Changes since the last election
In September 2024, a by-election was held in Baguley following the resignation of Labour Councillor Phil Brickell due to his election as MP for Bolton West. This election was won by Labour's Munaver Rasul.
Muqaddasah Bano was suspended from the Labour Party in July 2025 following complaints from members.
In September 2025, a by-election was held in Woodhouse Park following the resignation of Green Councillor Anastasia Wiest. This election was won by Zoe Marlow of the Green Party.
In April 2026, Independent Councillor Amna Abdullatif joined the Green Party, after previously resigning from the Labour Party in October 2023.
Electoral process The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. Councillors are elected via first-past-the-post voting, with each ward represented by three councillors, one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Manchester aged 18 or over will be entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations will take place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters are able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.
Summary
Election result
Election result
! scope="row" colspan="2" style="text-align: right;" | Total | style="text-align: right;" | 176 | style="text-align: right;" | 32 | style="text-align: right;" | 0 | style="text-align: right;" | 100.0 | style="text-align: right;" | 64 | style="text-align: right;" | 96 | style="text-align: right;" | 100.0 | style="text-align: right;" | 129,270 | style="text-align: right;" | 100.0 | |- style="text-align: right;" ! scope="row" colspan="9" | Rejected ballots | 490 | 0.4 | |- style="text-align: right; font-weight: bold;" ! scope="row" colspan="9" | Total | 129,760 | 100.0 | |- style="text-align: right; font-weight: bold;" ! scope="row" colspan="9" | Turnout/registered electors | 32.5 | 399,451 |
Incumbents
WardIncumbent councillorWinner NameParty Re-standing NameParty Ancoats & Beswick Irene Robinson Labour Yes Hussayn Salem Green Ardwick Tina Hewitson Labour Yes Alex-Salik Imran Green Baguley Paul Andrews Labour Yes Sian Astley Reform Brooklands Susan Cooley Labour Yes Steven Hodgkiss Reform Burnage Murtaza Iqbal Labour Yes Asma Alam Green Charlestown Veronica Kirkpatrick Labour Yes Dylan Evans Reform Cheetham Naeem Hassan Labour Yes Naeem Hassan Labour Chorlton John Hacking Labour Yes Chantal Kerr-Sheppard Green Chorlton ParkJoanna MidgleyLabour Yes Grace Worrall Green Clayton & Openshaw Thomas Robinson Labour Yes Thomas Robinson Labour Crumpsall Jawad Amin Labour Yes Jawad Amin Labour Deansgate Joan Davies Labour Yes Sarah Wakefield Green Didsbury East Andrew Simcock Labour Yes Andrew Simcock Labour Didsbury West John Leech Liberal Democrats Yes John Leech Liberal Democrats Fallowfield Ali Ilyas Labour Yes Sufyaan Jasat Green Gorton & Abbey Hey John Hughes Labour Yes Chris Ogden Green Harpurhey Sandra Collins Labour No David Godfrey Labour Higher Blackley Olusegun Ogunbambo Labour Yes Martin Power Reform Hulme Lee-Ann Igbon Labour Yes Bernard Ekbery Green Levenshulme Dzidra Noor Labour Yes Fesl Reza-Khan Green Longsight Abid Chohan Labour Yes Asif Ranjha Green Miles Platting &Newton Heath Carmine Grimshaw Labour Yes Tom Lane Reform Moss Side Erinma Bell Labour Yes Thirza Asanga-Rae Green Moston Paula Appleby Labour Yes Blake Fisher Reform Northenden Angela Moran Labour Yes Angela Moran Labour Old Moat Suzannah Reeves Labour Yes Sam Easterby-Smith Green Piccadilly Adele Douglas Labour No Ross Steven Green Rusholme Rabnawaz Akbar Labour Yes Shams Syed Green Sharston Thomas Judge Labour No David McCullough Reform Whalley Range Aftab Razaq Labour Yes Ati Zafar Green Withington Angela Gartside Labour Yes Beth Hartness Green Woodhouse Park Astrid Johnson Green Yes Astrid Johnson Green
Ward results \* denotes incumbent councillor seeking re-election
An asterisk (*) indicates the incumbent councillor.
Ancoats and Beswick
Ardwick
Baguley
Brooklands
Burnage
Charlestown
Cheetham
Chorlton
Chorlton Park
Clayton and Openshaw
Crumpsall
Deansgate
Didsbury East
Didsbury West
Fallowfield
Gorton and Abbey Hey
Harpurhey
Higher Blackley
Hulme
Levenshulme
Longsight
Miles Platting and Newton Heath
Moss Side
Moston
Northenden
Old Moat
Piccadilly
Rusholme
Sharston
Whalley Range
Withington
Woodhouse Park
Post-election changes
In July 2026, Shabaz Sarwar (Longsight), who was elected for the Workers Party in 2024, joined the Labour Party.
Burnage The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor and Leader of Manchester City Council Bev Craig, following her election as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Notes
References