Prime Minister Andy Burnham to disclose details of meetings with Manchester City — BBC Sport

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would disclose details of his meetings with executives of Manchester City Football Club. This came after criticism of remarks he made following an independent commission’s decision in the case concerning the club’s breaches of Premier League financial rules.

As BBC Sport reports, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch demanded that all details of Burnham’s contacts with senior club officials be made public. Burnham, who previously served as Mayor of Greater Manchester, said he was ready to do so.

One significant meeting in 2021

According to Burnham, none of his meetings with Manchester City representatives were recent. He noted that he had only one significant meeting in 2021, when he was serving as Mayor of Greater Manchester.

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Burnham also stressed that football and investment are separate matters. While serving as mayor, he supported investment from Gulf countries as a way to develop Manchester’s economy.

Sanctions have not yet been announced

The independent commission found that Manchester City had breached the rules for nine years, from 2009 to 2018. Its findings refer to fictitious contracts with commercial partners through which more than £830 million was secretly directed to the club’s football operations.

The commission held 42 days of hearings in 2024. Its report also states that a number of the club’s key witnesses gave false testimony on crucial issues. Sanctions against Manchester City have not yet been announced. The club has appealed the verdict, which will be considered by a separate independent appeals panel, and continues to deny any wrongdoing.