Burnham had two hospitality dinners with Man City chairman, deleted records show
It has been revealed that UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham attended two hospitality dinners with the Manchester City chairman while serving as mayor, details which were omitted from a recent official statement. This disclosure adds to the scrutiny surrounding Burnham's relationship with the club amid ongoing investigations into their financial rule-breaking.
Why it matters
The lack of transparency regarding political figures' associations with major sports clubs raises questions about accountability and potential conflicts of interest.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak (left) chats to Andy Burnham in 2019 at the Etihad Stadium, when he was mayor of Greater Manchester
Andy Burnham had two hospitality dinners with Manchester City football club's chairman while mayor of Greater Manchester, it has emerged.
The PM dined with Khaldoon Al Mubarak at matches in 2017 and 2018 - but this was not detailed in a statement on Monday by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) about his meetings with the club.
Burnham has been under pressure to clarify his previous discussions with Man City since the club was found guilty of having "systematically" broken Premier League rules, which it will appeal.
The PM, who was mayor until June, sparked widespread controversy when he said last month he would be "really concerned" if the club's owners now sold up.
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