The battle to replace Andy Burnham as Greater Manchester mayor will be a two-horse race between the Green Party and Reform UK, according to Zack Polanski.

After the Greens held their fire in Makerfield, winning just 0.7 per cent of the vote, they have vowed to 'throw the kitchen sink' at the mayoral election and Mr Polanski will announce his candidate for the contest.

He said: 'The race for Greater Manchester mayor starts today and it's Greens versus Reform.' 

But Labour – as it did in February's Gorton and Denton by-election, in which it finished third – said the election will be a 'two-horse race between Labour and Reform'.

The Greens' candidate is thought to be Geraldine Coggins, the party's leader on Trafford Council.

Labour opened applications for the contest yesterday and is due to announce its candidate next Friday. Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig is thought to be the favourite. Picking a high-profile novice, such as former footballer Gary Neville, is not being considered, it is understood.

Reform UK's candidate selection for the mayoral contest will be key to its chances of success and it is said that Dan Barker, who ran for the position in 2024, is the front-runner.

The contest will be a tough battle for Labour, which lost more than 100 seats in Greater Manchester to the Greens on the Left and Nigel Farage's Reform on the Right at May's local elections.

But Labour pointed out that the Greens' vote share fell behind Labour and Reform in Greater Manchester in those elections. The party also highlighted that Hannah Spencer – Mr Polanski's newest MP – finished fifth when she ran for Manchester mayor in 2024.

'The Greens can't win,' a Labour source said.