The Liberal Democrats are urging Andy Burnham to release information about every meeting he has held with Manchester City’s owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), and to disclose any hospitality he received at the Etihad Stadium.
The prime minister faced widespread criticism this week after saying he would be “deeply worried” if ADUG had to sell City following a guilty verdict over breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. His remarks prompted Downing Street to clarify his position twice on Thursday.
Burnham has also spoken positively about ADUG’s investment in Manchester and maintained close links with the company through which Sheikh Mansour acquired City in 2008. Those connections developed during his nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester, before he returned to parliament this summer.
Anna Sabine, the Liberal Democrats’ spokesperson for culture, media and sport, said Burnham’s relationship with ADUG required closer examination. She intends to contact Downing Street and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to request records of relevant meetings.
“Football supporters across the country have a right to expect the same rules to apply to everyone, regardless of their wealth or influence,” Sabine said. “When a prime minister publicly supports a club’s owners only hours after a ruling, it is reasonable for people to question the nature of that connection.
“Andy Burnham should be fully transparent by publishing information about every meeting and discussion he has had with City Football Group, Abu Dhabi United Group or representatives of the UAE government since his period as mayor, including details of any complimentary hospitality he accepted.”
Burnham, who supports Everton, has previously been seen watching City matches from hospitality sections at the Etihad Stadium.
The full scale of the hospitality he received remains uncertain because GMCA rules make gift declarations directly available only for serving office holders, unless a freedom of information request is filed.
Since becoming prime minister, Burnham has not attended a City fixture. However, he has watched two Everton games at Hill Dickinson Stadium from the directors’ box, despite holding a season ticket in the South Stand.
City announced on Friday that they had challenged the independent commission’s decision. The club maintained that the ruling included “significant and obvious mistakes relating to law, principle and fact” and could not be considered reliable.
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