Andy Burnham accused of concealing Manchester City freebies

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 12:58 · Archive

Andy Burnham is accused of accepting Manchester City-funded hospitality worth nearly £1,200 while mayor and concealing the details.

Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister, has been accused of covering up links to Manchester City after a register of interests documenting freebies was deleted from a public website.

While serving as Greater Manchester mayor, Mr Burnham accepted City-funded hospitality worth almost £1,200. On two occasions he joined City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in a luxury hospitality suite at the Etihad Stadium. In August 2017 he dined with Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese and Mr Al Mubarak during a match against Everton, valued at £338. In April 2018 he attended the Manchester derby with the chairman, with the meal and seat valued at £699. He also received two tickets to see Ed Sheeran perform at the Etihad, worth £150.

All these details were logged in a register of interests that Mr Burnham signed on 7 December 2020. However, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority subsequently removed the register from its website. Mr Burnham previously claimed to have had just one formal meeting with Mr Al Mubarak, but the register shows at least two occasions where they were together at the stadium.

How it is being reported

• Burnham denies Man City chiefs raised Premier League chargesPrime Minister Andy Burnham has denied Manchester City representatives raised the Premier League charges against the club during his past meetings with them. The former Mayor of Manchester was forced to address accusations that he had fudged the truth after reports this week suggested meetings with senior Manchester City figures, notably chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, [...]City AM · 14 Oct, 13:34
• Man City owners did not discuss Premier League charges with me, Andy Burnham saysThe prime minister said he was ‘very happy’ to set out details of the meetings with the club’s ownersThe Independent · 14 Oct, 12:52
• Andy Burnham responds to growing pressure around his relationship with Man City's owners after 'secret freebies from Abu Dhabi chiefs were DELETED from the public record'Andy Burnham has defended himself after being accused of 'covering up' links to Manchester City following a register of interests being 'deleted'.Daily Mail Sport · 14 Oct, 12:43
• Andy Burnham accused of cover-up over links to scandal-hit Man City as new freebies come to lightAndy Burnham has been accused of covering up links to Manchester City as new freebies have emerged. A new probe has revealed a deleted register of interests, suggesting that while Mr Burnham was Mayor of Greater Manchester, he twice joined City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in a luxury hospitality suite at the Etihad Stadium. The investigation has suggested Mr Burnham accepted City-funded freebies worth almost £1,200, reports The Sun. Details of the freebies were logged in a register he signed on December 7 2020; however, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority removed the register from its…GB News · 14 Oct, 00:46

In this story: Andy Burnham · Khaldoon Al Mubarak · Manchester City · Greater Manchester Combined Authority · Richard Leese · Manchester

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