Andy Burnham to publish records of meetings with Manchester City figures
October 11, 2026 20:40
WHAT HAPPENED
Burnham said on the Rest is Politics podcast: "I will quite clearly put out there everything that I have done working with them in my previous role as Mayor of Greater Manchester. None of it is recent, actually, in terms of the meetings I had. I only had one significant meeting, actually, and that was in 2021." He said he had been asked by the leader of the opposition to publish details and that he was "happy to do" so.
The comments follow an independent commission finding that Manchester City broke rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018 by using what it described as "sham" contracts with commercial partners to funnel more than £830m into football operations. The commission held a 42-day hearing in 2024 and found the club guilty of all charges except one relating to non-cooperation. Its report said "a number of important club witnesses gave false evidence in key respects and that some knowingly gave untrue and dishonest evidence." City deny wrongdoing and have lodged an appeal; sanctions have not yet been announced.
REACTIONS AND CONTEXT
Burnham, who was mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until earlier this year, defended his previous remarks about City and its owners, saying: "I don't think I misspoke." He said his focus at the time had been on Labour Party conference and related interviews, and stressed that he viewed the football issues as separate from investment issues.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had demanded No 10 release all details of meetings between the prime minister and senior club figures. BBC Sport reported some Premier League clubs were "astonished" by Burnham's stance and that sources were "concerned" about potential political interference in the appeal process.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
City returned to action for the first time since the verdict with a 3-0 win at Liverpool. A separate independent appeal board will hear Manchester City's appeal; the timing of any sanctions remains pending.