LONDON, October 12, 2026 — British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to publish details of his past dealings with Manchester City and the club’s Abu Dhabi-based owners following mounting criticism over his comments about the team’s ownership.
Burnham made the commitment after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch called on him to disclose information about meetings and contacts during his time as mayor of Greater Manchester. The prime minister said he was willing to make the records public and rejected suggestions that he had anything to conceal.
Speaking in an interview for The Rest Is Politics podcast, due to be released on Monday, Burnham said he would reveal the full extent of his work with the club’s owners during his previous mayoral role. He maintained that the meetings were not recent and identified one significant meeting in 2021.
The controversy followed comments Burnham made last month after an independent commission found Manchester City had breached Premier League financial regulations over nine seasons, from 2009-10 to 2017-18.
Burnham said he would be “really concerned” if the club’s Abu Dhabi-based owners sold the team, describing them as a major partner in the development of modern Manchester. The remarks prompted criticism from political opponents, who questioned whether his position could be seen as favouring the owners while the club faced serious regulatory findings.
Downing Street subsequently clarified that Burnham regarded the commission’s findings as serious and believed anyone found responsible for wrongdoing should face the consequences.
The prime minister has sought to distinguish the club’s financial case from the wider economic relationship between its owners and Greater Manchester. He argued that investment in the region should be considered separately from the football-related allegations, while stressing that the independent process must be allowed to proceed.
The Premier League commission found that Manchester City used commercial agreements with sponsors that did not accurately reflect the underlying arrangements. According to the commission, the deals formed part of a concealed funding structure in which sponsors paid only a portion of the stated fees, while the remainder was financed by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd, associated with the club’s majority ownership.
The commission concluded that the arrangements artificially inflated reported revenue and reduced costs by more than £900 million over the period under investigation. It also found breaches involving financial reporting and cooperation with the league’s investigation.
Manchester City has denied wrongdoing and is challenging the findings through an appeal. The case remains a major issue in English football, with the potential consequences dependent on the continuing legal and disciplinary process.
Calls for transparency have extended beyond the Conservative opposition. The Liberal Democrats have also urged Burnham to disclose records of meetings with the club’s owners and declare any hospitality he received from them. Opposition figures have additionally called for details of contacts involving government ministers and officials since Burnham became prime minister.
Burnham’s promise to publish his past dealings is intended to address questions surrounding his relationship with Manchester City’s ownership. He maintains that the club’s financial case and the investment made in Manchester are separate matters, while acknowledging that the allegations against the club must be resolved through the independent process.
