Andy Burnham had a formal meeting with Manchester City’s chair, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, at an investment summit, chatted to him in the stands at a star player’s testimonial game and was accompanied by staff from the club on official overseas visits. Details of the prime minister’s contacts with the scandal-hit club and its Abu Dhabi owners during his time as Greater Manchester mayor were released by the combined authority. Burnham old MPs that “all of my dealings” with Manchester City’s owners would be published.
A Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) spokesperson said: “In October 2021 Andy Burnham, in his role as mayor of Greater Manchester, had a formal meeting with Khaldoon al-Mubarak at the UK government’s global investment summit arranged by the Department for International Trade. These have been declared in the usual way. The club maintain their innocence and appealed against the verdict.
Burnham said last month he would be “really concerned” if City’s Abu Dhabi owners sold the club in the wake of the finding, crediting them with being “a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester”. Downing Street sought to clarify his comments afterwards, saying the prime minister was clear the judgment is serious and that, where wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the consequences. The shadow sports minister, Louie French, said the disclosure of Burnham’s meetings was “far from the full transparency that football fans deserve”.
French said: “Burnham cannot hide behind the GMCA – he must take responsibility for this himself. We have been given precious little information about these meetings, what was discussed and what may have been agreed. His bizarre intervention in defence of Man City’s owners has raised serious concerns among fans.
It’s time for the prime minister to come clean about his relationship with City Football Group so the public can make their own conclusions.”
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