UK PM Burnham says he will publish details of his Manchester City dealings as mayor

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will publish details of his dealings and meetings with Manchester City from his time as mayor of Greater Manchester.

He made the commitment in an interview with the Rest is Politics podcast. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had urged him to publish details of his work with the club.

"I've been asked by the leader of the opposition to publish details of my meetings, which I'm happy to do and I'm going to," BBC Sport quoted Burnham as saying.

Burnham said he had only one significant meeting with the club's owners, and that it took place in 2021.

The verdict

An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules between 2009 and 2018. It found that the club used "sham" commercial deals with sponsors. City have appealed and maintain they did nothing wrong.

According to the Guardian, the Premier League said the deals were part of a disguised funding scheme. Sponsors paid only part of the fees. The rest was funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment and Development Ltd, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which owned the club. BBC Sport reported that more than £830m was secretly channelled into the club this way.

According to BBC Sport, the commission's report said "a number of important club witnesses gave false evidence in key respects and that some knowingly gave untrue and dishonest evidence". BBC Sport also reported that sanctions have not yet been announced and that a separate independent appeal board will hear the appeal.

Why the comments drew criticism

After the verdict, Burnham said he would be "really concerned" if City's Abu Dhabi owners sold the club. The comments drew criticism. According to BBC Sport, he later denied that his reaction had downplayed the findings. The Guardian reported that Downing Street later sought to clarify his comments.

What is disputed

BBC Sport's report is inconsistent on the scope of the verdict. It says both that City were found guilty of all charges and that they were cleared of one charge relating to non-cooperation with the investigation. The other reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not specify.

What each side says

• Burnham says football and investment issues should not be conflated. The Guardian quoted him as saying the football issues "are serious" and the process "has to run its course".
• Kemi Badenoch says Burnham should publish "everything" related to his work with the club.
• The Liberal Democrats, according to the Guardian, asked him to release meeting minutes and declare hospitality gifts from City's owners.
• Louie French, shadow sports minister, said Burnham "must also explain why he inappropriately intervened in this case", according to the Guardian.
• Some Premier League clubs, according to sources cited by BBC Sport, were "concerned" about political interference in the appeal.
• Manchester City deny any wrongdoing.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not say when or in what form Burnham will publish the details. They do not include any comment from City on his remarks.

Analysis

The episode highlights how a prime minister's earlier regional role can carry new weight in national office. Burnham's pledge to publish details may ease or intensify scrutiny, depending on what the disclosures contain and whether they address the requests for meeting minutes, hospitality records and contacts since he took office. A separate question concerns the appeal. Some clubs, according to BBC Sport sources, worry about political interference, while Burnham says the process is independent. How the appeal board proceeds, and what sanctions follow, remain open. Neither outcome can be inferred from the reports so far.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.