A Manchester City representative joined a government-supported trade mission to India this week, even though the club had been found responsible for 114 violations of Premier League regulations.
Bev Craig, who succeeded Andy Burnham as Manchester mayor, included a club representative in visits to Delhi and Mumbai arranged by business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, with northern mayors using the trip to promote British commerce and tourism.
Craig defended the invitation while the prime minister faced scrutiny over his own dealings with the club, arguing that City had made an important contribution to infrastructure development in Manchester.
“When a football club breaches the rules, it should receive the appropriate punishment through an independent process,” she said.
“At the same time, people living in east Manchester have benefited from facilities such as a new library, leisure centre and sixth-form college, as well as infrastructure funding and employment opportunities linked to the club’s commitment to fair working standards and early adoption of the real living wage.”
City maintains that it did nothing wrong and has challenged the decision. The club declined to provide a statement.
The development emerged as Burnham came under pressure over his ties to City’s ownership during his period as Greater Manchester mayor. On Wednesday, the prime minister clarified that he had attended two additional dinners with club chair Khaldoon al-Mubarak at the Etihad Stadium after previously recording them only as matchday hospitality.
During prime minister’s questions, Burnham said nobody associated with the club had discussed the Premier League case with him.
Craig’s support for the club coincided with the mayoral authority releasing information about Burnham’s interactions with City officials while he held office.
The disclosed records indicated that the prime minister held a formal meeting with al-Mubarak, spoke with him in the stands during a player testimonial and travelled with club employees on official international visits.
However, the Sun newspaper subsequently reported on Monday that Burnham had attended two pre-match dinners with the chair. These appearances had been listed in council documents that were later removed. No 10 said deleting such records after a new mayor takes office was standard practice.
Burnham attracted criticism for his first reaction to the ruling against City. He said he would be “deeply worried” if the club’s Abu Dhabi owners decided to sell, describing them as a major contributor to the transformation of modern Manchester.
Following criticism of the prime minister’s remarks, Downing Street stated that his position was that anyone found to have acted improperly should face the relevant consequences.
City joined the trade mission with several other northern sporting and tourism bodies, including Lancashire cricket club and Visit Lake District. During the India visit, the football club participated in a Delhi event designed to encourage tourism to Britain.
The Great North, an alliance of mayors from northern England that arranged the event in India, said the purpose was “to highlight the outstanding tourism experiences available throughout the north of England”.
The Greater Manchester mayoral authority said on Tuesday that officials from the region’s sports clubs had “regularly participated in business delegations” during overseas trips throughout Burnham’s mayoral term.
Burnham’s backing of City and its ownership has increased scrutiny of both his relationship with the club and the extent to which investment from Abu Dhabi supported Manchester’s rapid economic expansion while he was mayor.
Other prominent politicians taking part in this week’s trade mission included business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, Scotland secretary Douglas Alexander and environment secretary Angela Eagle.
On Tuesday, Reynolds attended a Premier League event where he met pupils receiving instruction from coaches trained in Britain. He later rejected the suggestion that the case involving City had damaged the competition’s standing, describing the league as one of the country’s leading cultural exports.
“The Premier League is one of the United Kingdom’s most significant and influential brands,” he said.
When asked whether City should have received an invitation while facing the case, Reynolds said: “That is a matter for Greater Manchester, where the club clearly plays a substantial role in the regional economy.
“I recognise the attention surrounding the relationship between Manchester and Manchester City, but the allegations and the club’s challenge to the decision remain matters for football authorities.”
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