The Liberal Democrats have called on Andy Burnham to disclose details of his meetings and conversations with Manchester City’s owners following his comments about the club’s guilty verdict.
The prime minister has faced criticism since saying he would be “really concerned” if the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) were forced to sell Manchester City, praising the owners for their investment in both the club and Manchester.
Now the Lib Dems want Burnham to publish details of his dealings with ADUG, City Football Group and UAE government representatives going back to his nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester.
Lib Dems demand answers over Burnham’s City links
Anna Sabine, the party’s spokesperson for culture, media and sport, said football fans were entitled to ask about Burnham’s relationship with City’s ownership following his response to the independent commission verdict.
“Andy Burnham must come clean and publish details of every meeting and conversation he has had with City Football Group, Abu Dhabi United Group or UAE government representatives, going back to his time as mayor – and that includes any hospitality freebies received,” Sabine told The Guardian.
Burnham has previously been pictured attending City matches in hospitality areas at the Etihad Stadium, although the extent of any hospitality he received is unclear.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Burnham has not met City’s owners since becoming prime minister in July. His quarterly list of engagements is due to be published before the end of the year.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak did visit Downing Street last month for a meeting with business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, but Burnham was not present.
City appeal continues
The political scrutiny comes after an independent commission found City guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.
Burnham initially said it would be wrong to “jump to a conclusion” while City continued to contest the findings. Downing Street subsequently stressed that the commission’s judgment was serious, that nobody should be considered above the rules and that the independent process must be allowed to run its course.
City confirmed on Friday that they have lodged an appeal, arguing that the commission’s decision contains “clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe”.
As covered in our report on the tensions surrounding Burnham’s intervention, his comments have already prompted questions about political involvement in the case.
The Lib Dem demand now shifts some of that attention towards Burnham’s previous dealings with City’s ownership during his time in Greater Manchester.
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