PM Andy Burnham to reveal dealings with Man City after criticism

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FT Desk

United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham will release details of all dealings he had with Manchester City while he acted as mayor of Manchester.

Burnham previously received criticism for his response to Man City being found guilty by the Premier League of 114 financial breaches between 2009 and 2018.

Asked by the BBC if he was concerned that Man City's Abu Dhabi would now sell the club, Burnham said on last week:

"I would be really concerned to lose them.

"They've been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester and obviously the building of Manchester City into the global force that it is.

"I do actually thank the City Football Group and the wider ownership for the money that they didn't just put into the Etihad [Stadium] and the campus around it but also into the city".

Horrendous statement from UK prime minister Andy Burnham on Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership.
1) As PM he should remain entirely neutral.
2) ‘I can’t intervene *more*’ suggests he already has.
3) ‘The detail’ may demonstrate that losing them would be for the best. pic.twitter.com/qlf30fLVJm

— Duncan Castles (@DuncanCastles) September 30, 2026

City’s Abu Dhabi owners have previously been praised for investing billions of pounds in the city, including through various charitable initiatives.

However, the Premier League accused City of “systematically breaking Premier League Rules for nearly a decade”, prompting criticism of Burnham for his support of the club’s ownership. He would later say that punishments would be required if illegality was confirmed after an appeal.

As mayor of Manchester between 2017 and 2026, Burnham had business dealings with the club and its owners and in order to promote full transparency, he plans on revealing the content of those meetings to the public.

Speaking on The Rest is Politics podcast, he said he would "put out there" the relevant information but that "the football issues are different from the investment issues."

He explained: "But I see now people trying to conflate these things. I've been asked by the Leader of the Opposition to publish details of my meetings, which I'm happy to do.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he will publish details of his meetings with the owners of Manchester City https://t.co/wbpFodOjq7

— The Rest Is Politics (@RestIsPolitics) October 12, 2026

"I will quite clearly put out there everything that I have done working with them in my previous role as mayor of Greater Manchester.

"None of it is recent, actually, in terms of the meetings I had. I only had one significant meeting, actually, and that was in 2021. That is right and I will put that all out there.

"But the football issues, they are serious and have to be dealt with, and the process is independent and it has to run its course. But I think everybody should separate the investment issues because they're not the same thing."

The Premier League is yet to determine Man City's punishment for the charges but it is likely they will face a points deduction, a fine and a transfer ban.