Former mayor Andy Burnham promises to release all records of Manchester City contacts

Andy Burnham pledged to publish every record of his dealings with Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership from his tenure as Greater Manchester mayor, responding to criticism after he defended the owners. He told the Rest is Politics podcast that the only major meeting took place in 2021 and that football-related matters should be separated from investment issues. The promise follows a Premier League commission’s finding that City arranged sham commercial deals, breaching rules from 2009-2018, a verdict the club is appealing.

Opposition politicians such as Kemi Badenoch and Louie French have pressed Burnham and the Prime Minister to reveal all contacts since he entered Number 10, while Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy faces questions about her role. Downing Street clarified that any wrongdoing must be addressed and that the investigation remains independent. Manchester City recently beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield as the case continues to draw scrutiny.