Labour MPs received nearly £300,000 in Manchester City and UAE gifts

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 10 Oct, 13:07 · Archive

Labour MPs have accepted nearly £300,000 in gifts and hospitality from Manchester City and the United Arab Emirates.

Labour politicians have accepted nearly £300,000 worth of gifts and hospitality from Manchester City and the United Arab Emirates, according to an investigation. The freebies include luxury trips, flights, accommodation and VIP football tickets, recorded in the MPs' Register of Interests.

Official records show Labour MPs received approximately £275,000 in UAE-funded trips and hospitality, alongside £14,000 worth of Manchester City tickets and benefits. This represents the largest share among all political parties. Conservative politicians received approximately £175,000 across 43 entries, whilst SNP MPs accepted more than £15,000. Liberal Democrats received £3,500 and Reform UK £1,000.

Labour deputy leader and Education Secretary Lucy Powell was among those who accepted Manchester City hospitality. The Manchester Central MP received tickets to five matches over eleven months, valued at £2,360, including an £840 VIP ticket for City's match against Newcastle United in March 2024. Other Labour MPs to receive hospitality include Andrew Western, who accepted hospitality for four matches, and Jeff Smith, who attended four games including the 2024 FA Cup final.

The revelations follow Manchester City's guilty verdict last month of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial regulations. An independent commission ruled the club used sham commercial agreements to inflate revenues and conceal more than £900 million in costs between 2009 and 2018. City denies wrongdoing and has appealed the decision.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, formerly Mayor of Manchester, said he was 'really concerned' to lose Sheikh Mansour's City Football Group, thanking them for investments in the city. After criticism, Downing Street officials insisted no club was 'above the rules'.

Labour MPs received nearly £300,000 in Manchester City and UAE gifts — Image: Daily Mail

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How it is being reported

MPs bag nearly £500k in freebies from UAE and Manchester City as campaigners raise ‘conflict of interest’ concernPoliticians have received hundreds of thousands of pounds in freebies from the Manchester City and its UAE owners.Metro · 10 Oct, 13:01
Labour politicians received £300,000 freebies from Manchester City and the United Arab Emirates while Andy Burnham oversaw £55m taxpayer loan to the Arab stateIt has emerged that thousands of pounds in free tickets, hospitality and foreign trips were given to the party's MPs - including VIP seats for the PM's right hand woman, Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell.Daily Mail · 10 Oct, 12:58
Fury as Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell embroiled in Manchester City freebie rowLabour MPs have received nearly £300,000 in gifts and hospitality from the UAE and Manchester City.Daily Express · 10 Oct, 11:30

In this story: Labour · Manchester City · United Arab Emirates · Lucy Powell · Sheikh Mansour · Andy Burnham · Andrew Western · Jeff Smith

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