MANCHESTER, England, Oct 2 (Reuters) – The UK’s Liberal Democrats party on Friday urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to disclose any meetings he has held with Manchester City’s owners, Abu Dhabi representatives or related entities, stepping up criticism of his comments following the landmark ruling against the club.
Burnham, who had served as the mayor of Greater Manchester from May 2017 to June 2026, had earlier this week expressed concern about City’s owners potentially selling the club, saying they had been “a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester” and “in turning the club into a global force”.
Burnham’s comments drew heavy criticism from opposition politicians.
“Football fans up and down the country deserve to know that the rules apply to everyone, however rich and powerful they are,” Anna Sabine, the party’s spokesperson for culture, media and sport, told the Prime Minister in a letter.
“When the prime minister leaps to the defence of a club’s owners within hours of a verdict, people are entitled to ask what their relationship is.
“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.”
Manchester City have filed an appeal against an independent commission ruling that found the club guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, seeking to overturn the verdict and avoid potentially severe sanctions.
The league said on Tuesday that City had used “sham” commercial contracts as part of schemes to inflate revenue and understate costs by more than £900 million ($1.19 billion) over nearly a decade.
The letter follows Thursday’s statement from a Number 10 spokesperson that City should face the “appropriate consequences” if wrongdoing is established.
Shadow Sports Minister Louie French said the government must “keep politics out of football” and ensure the independent commission is free of “outside influence.”
City have denied any wrongdoing.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
