Visitors to our website will now encounter a prompt before they can use the search function: we require your consent to load Google Custom Search, a tool that may deploy cookies or similar technologies. This step is part of a commitment to giving users control over their data before any tracking or functional cookies are activated.
Why consent matters
User consent is the cornerstone of current data protection law. When you click ‘Allow and Continue’, you are giving explicit permission for us to load Google Custom Search, which relies on cookies to operate effectively. Without that consent, the search feature will not function — a deliberate design that ensures no data is processed until you have chosen to allow it. The cookies involved are primarily functional, enabling the search bar to remember your preferences or deliver relevant results, but the principle remains the same: your decision comes first. Our privacy policy, linked on the consent notice, explains in detail how these technologies work and what information they may collect.
What the search feature offers
Once consent is granted, the Google Custom Search tool gives readers the ability to find articles, reports and updates across our site. In an era of fast-moving political developments, this feature allows users to quickly locate specific stories — for example, the unfolding contest for the Greater Manchester mayoralty. The by-election, scheduled for 30 July 2026, was triggered by Andy Burnham’s resignation after his election as MP for Makerfield. Burnham, who comfortably won a third term as mayor on 2 May 2024 with 420,749 votes (63.4%), has long dominated Greater Manchester politics under a philosophy he calls “Manchesterism” — a blend of local leadership, devolved decision-making and targeted public investment credited with the city’s urban revival and a sharp reduction in inner-city deprivation. But his departure has opened the race to new challengers.
Zack Polanski, who became Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales in September 2025, has characterised the contest as a direct fight between the Greens and Reform UK. The claim reflects shifting political currents. In the 2024 mayoral election, Reform UK’s Dan Barker finished fourth with 49,532 votes (7.46%), while Green candidate Hannah Spencer took fifth with 45,905 votes (6.9%) — Spencer later noted the party was pleased with its increased share, saying voters were looking for change. Since then, the Greens have built momentum. In February 2026, Spencer became Manchester’s first Green MP after winning a by-election in Gorton and Denton with 41% of the vote, a result Polanski has called evidence of the party’s ability to challenge established parties. Locally, the Manchester Green Party is the largest opposition group on the city council, advocating for policies such as £1 bus fares and free bus travel for under-22s. Polanski, also a London Assembly member with a background in acting, community theatre and hypnotherapy, has pursued an “eco-populist” strategy linking environmental issues to the cost-of-living crisis, housing shortages and economic inequality. He has stated the Greens will “throw everything” at the mayoral race.
Reform UK, meanwhile, is mounting a determined campaign of its own. The right-wing populist party — described by observers as far-right — is running on a platform of hardline immigration controls, scrapping net-zero targets to lower energy bills, and cutting taxes. Support has grown particularly among older voters and those who backed Leave in the EU referendum. The party has been gaining councillors across Greater Manchester and, in the May local elections, reportedly won 31% of the vote in Manchester — outstripping Labour on 23% and the Greens on 19%. Reform UK’s national organisers, including a chief organiser from London, are expected to drive the mayoral campaign. The party’s rise, alongside Green gains, is squeezing Labour’s traditional dominance in a region where it has long controlled most local authorities. Analysts note a demographic split: younger, transient voters in suburban and inner-urban wards are drawn to the Greens, while post-industrial communities are turning to Reform UK. Burnham himself is being talked about as a potential successor to Keir Starmer as Labour leader, but for now the by-election — using a proportional voting system in which voters rank first and second choices — presents a new dynamic.
Privacy and your data
The consent prompt sits within this broader context of user choice and transparency. By requiring a deliberate action before Google Custom Search loads, we ensure that no cookies are placed until you have actively agreed. That agreement is revocable, and our privacy policy provides full details on how any data collected via the search feature is handled — from cookie expiration to third-party processing by Google. The principle is simple: we do not assume consent. The search bar will remain inactive until you choose to enable it, and your privacy settings are respected at every stage. Whether you are searching for the latest political analysis or an archived feature, the decision to allow cookies is yours alone.
The mayoral contest itself illustrates why a robust search function matters. Voters may wish to compare candidate platforms, examine past election results or understand the voting system — a proportional method where first and second preferences can shape the outcome in unpredictable ways. Reform UK’s 31% local showing, the Greens’ recent by-election triumph, and Labour’s historic grip on the region all feed into a race that Polanski insists is now a two-way battle. For now, the only thing standing between a reader and that information is a single click — on ‘Allow and Continue’ — and the consent that power it.
