Questions have emerged over two hospitality dinners involving Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Andy Burnham during his time as Greater Manchester mayor.
Andy Burnham attended two hospitality dinners with Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in 2017 and 2018, according to declarations previously published by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
The dinners have attracted renewed attention as political scrutiny continues over Burnham’s past dealings with the Premier League club and his public comments about its ownership.
The disclosures were not specifically mentioned in a GMCA statement released on Monday outlining Burnham’s meetings and contacts with Manchester City during his time as mayor.
Previous Declarations Reveal Two Dinners
Records previously available on the GMCA website listed two separate hospitality occasions involving Burnham and senior figures connected to Manchester City.
One entry described a dinner attended by Burnham, then-Manchester City Council leader Richard Leese and the club’s chairman during an Everton match at the Etihad Stadium in August 2017. The hospitality was valued at approximately £300.
A second declaration referred to a dinner with the chairman during the Manchester City versus Manchester United derby in April 2018. The estimated value of the hospitality was £699.
Burnham had also declared receiving two tickets worth £150 to attend an Ed Sheeran concert at the stadium in May 2018.
However, the earlier register has since disappeared from the GMCA website. The BBC reported that the authority generally publishes declarations from the current mayoral term, although some records dating back to 2022 remain accessible.
The GMCA has been asked to explain its publication policy and why the two dinners were not individually identified in its latest statement.
GMCA Outlines Other Contacts With Manchester City
The authority’s Monday statement referred to a formal meeting between Burnham and Al Mubarak in October 2021 during the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit. The meeting was organised by the Department for International Trade.
It also confirmed that Burnham met the chairman informally in the stands during a 2019 testimonial match for former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.
According to the statement, Burnham attended a limited number of Manchester City home matches as a guest while serving as mayor.
The document did not provide details of the discussions held during those occasions or specifically identify the two hospitality dinners recorded in the earlier register.
Downing Street defended the dinners, describing them as hospitality received at home matches that had been declared, rather than separate meetings with the club chairman.
Political Pressure Continues
Burnham has faced calls for greater transparency since expressing concern last month about the possibility of Manchester City’s owners selling the club.
Conservative shadow sports minister Louie French said Burnham had promised full transparency regarding his dealings with Manchester City. Reform UK politician Robert Jenrick also criticised the situation, questioning the extent of Burnham’s connections with the club’s owners.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for the release of comprehensive details concerning meetings between Burnham and senior Manchester City figures.
Speaking on The Rest Is Politics podcast the previous week, Burnham said he was willing to disclose his past dealings with the club. He described 2021 as the date of his only significant meeting with its representatives.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Burnham also said that Manchester City had not raised the charges it faced with him or his team.
When reporters asked why the GMCA statement did not explicitly mention the two dinners, the Prime Minister’s press secretary referred them back to the authority’s published statement.
The BBC has sought further clarification from the GMCA regarding the omissions.
Manchester City’s Financial Case
The controversy comes amid continuing legal proceedings concerning Manchester City’s financial conduct.
An independent commission found in September that the club had breached Premier League financial regulations over a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. The findings included the use of allegedly misleading commercial contracts connected to more than £830 million in funding for football operations.
Manchester City denies wrongdoing and has appealed the verdict. Any sanctions remain subject to the relevant proceedings.
The case has prompted wider debate about governance, financial transparency and the relationship between football clubs and public institutions.
Earlier Questions Over Manchester City’s Dealings
The latest developments follow separate scrutiny of a historical arrangement between Manchester City’s owners and Manchester City Council.
Sir Richard Leese, who led the council for 25 years until 2021, previously defended a deal involving the Abu Dhabi United Group, the company linked to the club’s ownership.
A University of Sheffield report said land had been leased to the group at rates below comparable levels.
The hospitality declarations have added another dimension to the debate over transparency surrounding Manchester City and its relationships with public figures.
The GMCA’s response to questions about the missing records could provide further clarity on how the authority handles historical declarations and publishes information about former officeholders.
Source: BBC News. This article has been rewritten and reorganised for editorial use. Readers should consult the original reporting and official statements for the full context.
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