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BBC Two — Newsnight, followed by Weather

Friday 31 July 2026 · 22:30 BST · 30m · 2 stories · 12 annotated moments · 29 of 30 min on news stories (95%)

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Broadcast overview

An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.

Votes were still being counted in the Greater Manchester mayoral election, the first major electoral test of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's premiership. The race went to a run-off between Labour's Bev Craig and Reform UK's Sian Astley, with only one in four registered voters turning out, the lowest since the role was created in 2017. Early analysis noted Labour's confidence, with polling suggesting they could secure two-thirds of the second-round vote. The result was eventually announced: Bev Craig won with 66,110 combined first and second preference votes against Sian Astley's 14,006, a decisive Labour hold. The low turnout and the performance of smaller parties, including the Greens and Restore Britain, were discussed in the context of multi-party politics and the strength of the Labour brand.

The programme also covered a crisis at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where around 60,000 people crossed the border from Morocco, resulting in at least 57 deaths. Italy suspended free movement with Spain, and the UK government offered assistance. Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt suggested the incident may have been deliberately engineered by Morocco to send a political message, though Spanish authorities blamed criminal gangs. The discussion highlighted fears of a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis and its political consequences across Europe. Additionally, the broadcast examined the government's devolution plan, which faced a political row after Conservative mayor Ben Houchen proposed using devolved powers for tax breaks rather than increased spending, a stance Prime Minister Burnham rejected as misunderstanding the purpose of devolution.

  1. 0:00
    Story begins Bev Craig wins Greater Manchester mayoral by-election
  2. 0:11

    Claim Bev Craig wins Greater Manchester mayoral by-election

    This was the first big electoral test of Andy Burnham's premiership.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 0:11-0:20

  3. 1:04

    Claim Bev Craig wins Greater Manchester mayoral by-election

    The election went to a second round of counting (run-off) between the top two candidates.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 1:04-1:14

  4. 1:08

    Claim Bev Craig wins Greater Manchester mayoral by-election

    Turnout was approximately 25%.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 1:08-1:20

  5. 1:08

    Claim Bev Craig wins Greater Manchester mayoral by-election

    Turnout was approximately 25%.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 1:08-1:24

  6. 2:31

    Claim Bev Craig wins Greater Manchester mayoral by-election

    Labour is expected to win two-thirds of the vote in the second round.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 2:31-2:38

  7. 2:31

    Claim Bev Craig wins Greater Manchester mayoral by-election

    Labour is expected to win two-thirds of the vote in the second round.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 2:31-2:38

  8. 20:08
    Story begins Spain imposes border controls on Italian travellers amid immigration row
  9. 20:08

    Claim Spain imposes border controls on Italian travellers amid immigration row

    Italy called for Spain to be suspended from the Schengen zone over the Ceuta incident.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 20:08-20:16

  10. 20:08

    Claim Spain imposes border controls on Italian travellers amid immigration row

    Italy called for Spain to be suspended from the Schengen zone over the Ceuta incident.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 20:08-20:16

  11. 20:16

    Claim Spain imposes border controls on Italian travellers amid immigration row

    Broadcasters reported between 49,000 and 60,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco in a 24-hour period.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 20:16-20:22

  12. 20:16

    Claim Spain imposes border controls on Italian travellers amid immigration row

    Broadcasters reported between 49,000 and 60,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco in a 24-hour period.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 20:16-20:22

  13. 25:38

    Claim Spain imposes border controls on Italian travellers amid immigration row

    Thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, with nine reported dead.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 25:38-25:42

  14. 25:38

    Claim Spain imposes border controls on Italian travellers amid immigration row

    Thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, with nine reported dead.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 31 July 2026, 25:38-25:42

Source: BBC TWO, "Newsnight, followed by Weather", Friday 31 July 2026. Transcript excerpts and stills are shown only to support the analysis annotated alongside them. Search-result excerpts are distinct from the editorial annotations — see our copyright basis. The full broadcast is not reproduced.