Bev Craig says she has landed her 'dream job' in her new role as leader of Manchester City Council

Lise McNally sits down with the new leader of Manchester City Council Bev Craig

Bev Craig has said she's "excited" and "immediately feels at home" in the city after taking on her new role as leader of Manchester City Council.

She said she recalls learning about the city through football and watching 'Queer as Folk' from her home in Northern Ireland.

Speaking of her childhood she said she never thought she would be in her position as she "didn't grow up in a political family" and politics was never a regular conversation.

But now she describes achieving her new position in politics as her "dream job".

Her priorities include social housing as her family still rely on the council housing scheme which she claims 'shapes her view' on the action she wishes to see implemented.

These include building 7,000 new affordable homes in the next five years in Manchester.

Talking on achieving the role, she said she appreciates the symbolic importance of being the first female leader and one who is openly gay, but emphasised "it's not the most interesting thing about me".

On the safety of women in the city, she said "for too long the question around women's safety has been framed on the shoulders of women and actually it's not our fault".

She said despite the struggles of the pandemic, Manchester is in a "strong position" to progress going forward.