Paul Dennett

Paul Dennett is a British politician serving as deputy mayor of Greater Manchester since 2021. A member of the Labour Party, he has served as Mayor of Salford since 2016 and was the acting mayor of Greater Manchester from June 2026 to August 2026.

Early life Dennett was born in Warrington and grew up working class. He is openly gay. Dennett's father worked for a power station and was an active trade unionist and his mother was a housewife and house cleaner. His parents would later run The Engine Pub in Prescot, Merseyside.

He received a BA in International Business from the University of Ulster, an MSc in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations from the Manchester Business School, and an MRES in Social Sciences from Manchester Metropolitan University. While at university, Dennett worked as an HR adviser and as a lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. succeeding Ian Stewart also of the Labour Party, and was re-elected in 2021.

As the Mayor of Salford he is also a member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. He is the GMCA's portfolio lead for Healthy Lives and Homelessness, and is the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester. He served as acting Mayor of Greater Manchester from 19 June 2026 following Andy Burnham's election as MP for Makerfield

Dennett was formerly a local councillor for the Langworthy ward in Salford, and is a member of the Unite and UCU trade unions.