Andy Burnham responds to growing pressure around his relationship with Man City’s owners after ‘secret freebies from Abu Dhabi chiefs were DELETED from the public record’

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has defended himself against accusations of covering up his links to Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners. Scrutiny mounted after a removed register of interests showed Burnham accepted hospitality and concert tickets worth nearly £1,200 while serving as Mayor of Greater Manchester, despite previously claiming he had only one formal meeting with City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Burnham stated that Manchester City representatives never discussed the club's financial charges with him. The revelations follow Manchester City being found guilty of financial manipulation involving £900 million, a verdict the club is currently appealing while political figures demand full transparency regarding Burnham's past dealings.