Burnham had two hospitality dinners with Man City chairman, deleted records show

What the report says

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is facing renewed scrutiny after BBC reporting said records show he had two hospitality dinners with Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak while he was mayor. The dinners took place at matches in 2017 and 2018, according to a former Greater Manchester Combined Authority declarations register seen by the BBC. That register has since been removed from the authority’s website, although the BBC says Burnham had previously declared the hospitality.

The issue has become politically sensitive after Manchester City was found by an independent commission to have breached Premier League financial rules over a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. The club denies wrongdoing and is appealing. Burnham has been under pressure to explain his contacts with the club after saying last month that he would be concerned if the owners sold the team.

A GMCA statement released on Monday described some of Burnham’s meetings with the club, including a formal meeting with Al Mubarak in 2021 and an informal encounter in the stands at a 2019 testimonial match, but it did not specifically mention the two dinners. Downing Street has defended the hospitality as declared matchday access, while Conservative figures have called for greater transparency.

BBC reporting also notes that the wider context includes debate over Manchester City’s relationship with local institutions and the broader implications of the club’s case for football governance. The authority has been asked why older declaration entries were removed and whether its website policy explains the deletion.