Burnham Defends Record on Manchester City Links Amid 'Deleted' Records Controversy

Andy Burnham has responded to accusations of concealing his relationship with Manchester City's owners after details of freebies and hospitality he received, which had been listed on a register of interests, were removed from public record.

Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, faced scrutiny after reports revealed a deleted register of interests indicated he had attended matches in a luxury box with Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and accepted tickets to an Ed Sheeran concert. These disclosures emerged following a ruling against the club for alleged financial breaches.

According to reports, Burnham accepted City-funded hospitality and tickets valued at nearly £1,200. A register of interests he signed in December 2020, which was later removed from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) website, detailed these benefits. Entries from April 18, 2020, and August 17, 2020, cited 'dinner with the Chairman at Man City/ Man United derby at the Etihad' valued at £699, and 'Dinner with Richard Leese and Chair of Man City for the Everton match at the Etihad,' with ticket value at £38 and hospitality at £300, respectively.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Burnham stated that he was willing for all dealings to be fully disclosed. He explained that he had requested the GMCA to release a comprehensive statement of his key engagements with Manchester City's owners, which was published on Monday and included the details now in question. He asserted, "That statement was published on Monday and it includes the issues in the news today and that is the position."

Previously, Burnham had stated on a podcast that he only had one significant meeting with Al Mubarak in 2021. However, the deleted register of interests also indicated earlier engagements, including attending a Manchester derby and an Everton match in a hospitality suite with Al Mubarak. His office stated that the GMCA's policy is to only publish entries from the current mayoral term.

Political figures have criticized Burnham's handling of the matter. Reform UK's Robert Jenrick wrote on X, "This saga stinks. Burnham appears to have concealed his extensive links to Man City’s owners. Fans deserve better." Tory shadow sports minister Louie French commented that the disclosure of Burnham's meetings was "far from the full transparency that football fans deserve," adding that Burnham "cannot hide behind the GMCA – he must take responsibility for this himself."

Burnham had previously expressed concern about the potential sale of the club by its Abu Dhabi owners, referring to them as "a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester." Downing Street later clarified that the Prime Minister acknowledged the seriousness of the ruling against the club and the need for consequences where wrongdoing is established.

The controversy unfolds as Manchester City faces an independent commission's verdict alleging 'sham' agreements to manipulate financial accounts by £900 million over nine seasons, leading to eight trophies. The club maintains its innocence and is appealing the decision.