She begins her term from a position of strength many considered out of reach.
When the by election was triggered in June it was thought Reform UK would be genuine contenders and the first poll of public opinion suggested they’d win on the first round of counting, albeit falling behind Labour when second preferences were added.
It can’t have helped their candidate, Sian Astley, a recently elected Manchester councillor, when her leader Nigel Farage triggered his own parliamentary by election in Clacton.
It meant he wasn’t seen at all on the campaign trail.
Polling just 21% in the first round after their success in the local elections now appears underwhelming.
For the Greens too, hopes that they’d kick on from winning their first northern MP in Gorton and Denton and a much improved showing at the locals began to fade as the campaign wore on.
Coming third with just 12% suggests the public didn’t buy their claim that they were the party who could prevent Reform winning.
Restore Britain came fourth on nearly 9% with the Conservatives fifth on nearly eight.
It will be alarming for the Tories that they were beaten by two fairly new parties on the right.
Disappointing too for the Liberal Democrats in sixth who lost their deposit with less than 3% of the vote. Independent Marcus Farmer came in last with 0.6%.
While she openly admits to being a big fan of Andy Burnham’s local legacy, and no doubt benefited from the apparent Labour bounce from his arrival in Downing Street, Bev Craig is clear she wants to make her own mark as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
She now has two years to do that before facing the electorate again.