No 10 says Man City not ‘above the rules’ after Burnham backlash
Downing Street has insisted Manchester City are not “above the rules” following criticism of comments made by Andy Burnham about the club’s Premier League financial breaches. The prime minister’s spokesperson said the initial judgment was serious and that “there can’t be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules”.
Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, faced a backlash after he said he would be “really concerned” if City’s owners decided to sell up. The club was found guilty by an independent commission of most of the 115 charges against it. City deny wrongdoing and have until Friday to submit an appeal.
Burnham’s remarks spark political row
In an interview with the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason, Burnham said he was not getting directly involved in the process and that it was wrong to “jump to a conclusion”. But he added he would be worried if the owners, led by Sheikh Mansour, left the club. “They’ve been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester,” he said.
Tories accused Burnham of “publicly backing the owners even as the investigation continues”. Shadow sports minister Louie French said fans would “rightly ask whether political pressure is being applied”.
Football regulator under scrutiny
The Independent Football Regulator’s chairman David Kogan said the case raised “serious issues” and that the regulator would use its powers to assess the suitability of owners. Former Manchester City and FA chairman David Bernstein told BBC Newsnight he was “concerned” by Burnham’s comments. “It is absolutely vital that this independent regulator can perform independently and without political interference,” he said.
An independent panel found City arranged “sham contracts” to disguise secret funding. A sanctions hearing could take months. Punishment could include a huge fine or points deduction.
