By Adegboyega Adeleye
Details of meetings between British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak have been disclosed amid scrutiny of the prime minister’s comments on the club’s guilty verdict over Premier League financial rule breaches.
According to Reuters, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) said Burnham, then mayor of Greater Manchester, held a formal meeting with Al Mubarak at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit in October 2021.
The authority said the meeting was arranged by the Department for International Trade. Burnham also met the City chairman informally while attending a testimonial match in 2019 in his capacity as mayor.
The disclosure follows criticism of Burnham’s response to the verdict against Manchester City, whose owners he previously praised for their investment in the club and the wider city.
Burnham had told the BBC he would be “really concerned” if City’s owners decided to sell the club, describing them as a “huge partner in the building of modern Manchester” and in transforming the club into a global force.
His remarks attracted criticism from opposition politicians, including the Liberal Democrats, who interpreted them as defending the club’s conduct. The comments also prompted calls for details of his dealings with City officials to be made public.
Burnham’s spokesperson later clarified that the club should face the “appropriate consequences” if wrongdoing was established.
Manchester City denies wrongdoing and has appealed the verdict over alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. The case is being handled through an independent process, with a separate appeal board set to consider the club’s challenge.
The GMCA also said Manchester City staff had supported visits Burnham made to China and Japan with business delegations while he was mayor, a position he held from May 2017 to June 2026.
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