Burnham to reveal past ties with Manchester City

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has committed to disclosing all past interactions with Manchester City football club, which was recently found guilty of financial misconduct between 2009 and 2018. This pledge comes after pressure from the opposition to clarify his relationships with the club, which has had significant financial ties to local authorities in Manchester.

Burnham defends past support for club’s owner

Burnham, who previously led Greater Manchester from 2017 to 2026, had previously expressed concern about the Emirati investment fund that owns Manchester City leaving the city. The fund is owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi. Downing Street later emphasized that no one is "above the rules" in such matters.

Burnham to release details of meetings with club

In an interview with the podcast The Rest is Politics, Burnham stated he will make public "in full transparency everything that (he) has done in collaboration" with the club. He confirmed he will share details of his meetings with the club, which he said were not recent, with only one significant meeting in 2021.

Manchester City accused of financial doping

An independent commission found that Manchester City created an illegal financial system between 2009 and 2018 by artificially inflating its revenues and understating its costs to meet financial rules. The club denies any wrongdoing and has appealed the commission's findings, facing potential sanctions including fines or exclusion from the championship.