UK PM Burnham to disclose dealings with Manchester City after financial scandal

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to release information regarding his dealings with Manchester City following the club’s conviction for financial rule breaches between 2009 and 2018. Burnham, who served as mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 to 2026, initially expressed support for the club's Emirati owners, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, and stated he would be "really concerned" if they were to sell up. However, Downing Street later insisted that no one is above the rules.

The opposition has demanded clarification on Burnham's relationship with the club, which has led to significant investments in Manchester through partnerships with local authorities. In an upcoming interview, Burnham said he would "quite clearly put out there everything that I have done working with them in my previous roles as Mayor of Greater Manchester." He further clarified that there is only one significant meeting he had, which took place in 2021.

Burnham emphasized that football issues should not be conflated with investment issues. The club, which has denied any wrongdoing, faces an uncertain future after being found guilty of over 100 breaches. They arranged "sham deals" to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by over £900 million (US$1.2 billion) during the specified period. Manchester City has lodged an appeal against the verdict, which found them guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.