How Abu Dhabi bought Andy Burnham’s Manchester
Andy Burnham recently intervened to defend Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners, days after they were found guilty of one of the biggest cheating scandals in British sporting history. The mayor of Manchester for nearly a decade, Burnham has overseen a transformation of the city wrought by Emirati money. But the details of how Abu Dhabi came to Manchester—including alleged “sweetheart deals” to own so much land—remain opaque.
Helen Pidd, a city resident and Today in Focus presenter, walks through modern Manchester to chart this change. She talks to North of England editor Josh Halliday about the lack of transparency and who ultimately benefited from the UAE’s investment. The prime minister is keen to export his model of “Manchesterism” across the country, but the episode asks what Burnham’s time as mayor tells us about that model. Research from Sheffield University is referenced.
