BBC reveals Burnham's deleted Man City dinners as pressure mounts
Records show PM had two hospitality dinners with Manchester City chairman while mayor; GMCA register since deleted.
What to know
- The BBC uncovered two hospitality dinners Burnham had with Man City chairman Al Mubarak in 2017 and 2018 that were omitted from the GMCA's Monday statement about his mayoral-era meetings with the club.
- The GMCA's declaration register containing these dinners has been deleted from its website; the authority's stated policy is to only publish current mayoral term entries, though the BBC found discrepancies in that policy.
- Opposition figures—Conservative and Reform UK—are demanding Burnham provide full transparency on all Man City dealings, amid the club's major Premier League rule-breach guilty verdict.
- Downing Street characterizes the dinners as standard hospitality at home games already declared, while Burnham has pledged to release complete details of his prior work with the club.
Burnham's dinners are routine mayoral conduct unworthy of the controversy.
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“He was literally the fucking mayor of Greater Manchester and people are surprised he met with the Man City chairman?”
NorthernSoul1998 · reddit ↗
“Andy Burnham promised the country and House of Commons full transparency on his dealings with Manchester City.”
Louie French, Conservative shadow sports minister · BBC News ↗
Andy Burnham UK Prime Minister; former Mayor of Greater Manchester
Khaldoon Al Mubarak Manchester City chairman
Kemi Badenoch Conservative Party leader
Robert Jenrick Reform UK politicianLouie French Conservative shadow sports minister
How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
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Burnham reaffirms willingness to release details
The PM, speaking previously on the Rest Is Politics podcast, stated he was "happy" to disclose all his dealings with Man City in his former role as mayor.
“quite clearly put out there everything that I have done working with them in my previous role as Mayor of Greater Manchester…”
— Andy Burnham -
S
When's the last time you have a £700 a head slap-up-feed, followed by a £150 concert? Andy Burnham slurps from the trough like the best of 'em...
2 more of the top 3 · 4 posts in this stretch
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You’re taking their assertions about what they believe as achieved policy. When he says that he wants to take back control of the privatised industries that were given away to foreign investors to make money from, and then supports the policies in Manchester which have done exactly that, then it is only reasonable to ask what the difference is. If…
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None of this even means anything either, he's going to have fuck all to do with the Premier League investigation. These articles are mental It's not like the lead of the investigative panel has been leaked to be partners with the Man City chairman
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1
Opposition figures and Downing Street respond to revelations
Conservative shadow sports minister Louie French accuses Burnham of breaking a transparency promise; Reform UK's Robert Jenrick says the saga "stinks" and claims Burnham concealed Man City links. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch renews demands for full disclosure. Downing Street defends the dinners as standard hospitality at home games that were already declared.
“this saga stinks…”
— Robert Jenrick -
background
BBC uncovers deleted declaration register showing two dinners — The BBC accesses a previous GMCA register of declarations—since deleted from the authority's website—detailing the two dinners: one in August 2017 (£300) and one in April 2018 (£699). The Sun first reported the register's deletion. The GMCA's stated policy is to only publish entries from the current mayoral term, though BBC questions this given entries dating to 2022 remain on the website despite the current term beginning in 2024.
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GMCA releases statement omitting details of two dinners
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority publishes a statement about Burnham's meetings with Man City during his mayoralty, disclosing a formal October 2021 summit meeting and an informal 2019 testimonial match encounter, but not specifying the two hospitality dinners.
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first by Mastodon, 8h ago · also BBC Football, BBC Sport, BBC
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Burnham comments on Man City ownership amid rule-breach findings — The PM sparks controversy by saying he would be "really concerned" if Manchester City's owners sold up, following the club's guilty verdict on Premier League rule breaches.
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Burnham meets Man City chairman at UK Government summit — Burnham has a formal meeting with Al Mubarak at the UK Government's Global Investment Summit, arranged by the Department for International Trade.
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Burnham attends second dinner with Man City chairman — Burnham has a second dinner with Al Mubarak at the Manchester City versus Manchester United derby at the Etihad, valued at approximately £699.
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Burnham dines with Man City chairman at Everton match — Andy Burnham, then mayor of Greater Manchester, has dinner with Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Manchester City Council leader Richard Leese at the Etihad Stadium during an Everton match. The event is valued at £300 for hospitality.
What people are saying 1 voices from 1 site · best of 4 · verbatim
- Yesterday
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He was literally the fucking mayor of Greater Manchester and people are surprised he met with the Man City chairman?