Burnham’s meeting with Manchester City chair and other contacts with club disclosed
Burnham had formal meeting with Khaldoon al-Mubarak Prime minister was also guest at ‘small number’ of games 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. Mr Burnham told MPs that “all of my dealings” with Manchester City’
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. Mr Burnham told 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.
“In his capacity as mayor, he was a guest of Manchester City at home matches on a small number of occasions, including attending Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match in September 2019, where he met the chairman informally in the stands. These have been declared in the usual way.
“Also during his time as mayor, representatives of Greater Manchester sporting clubs would routinely join business delegations as part of mayoral international visits.
“This included representatives from Manchester United travelling to Austin and Dublin, Lancashire Cricket Club joining a delegation to India, and Manchester City staff supporting visits to China and Japan.”
City have been found guilty of breaching Premier League financial regulations between 2009 and 2018. 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”. Mr 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.
“If Burnham has nothing to hide, why is he being so tight-lipped? 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.”
