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Andy Burnham accused of failing to give straight answer
Andy Burnham refuses to confirm meeting with Manchester City's chairman amid fraud allegations.
In brief
Andy Burnham refuses to confirm meeting with Manchester City's chairman amid fraud allegations. Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces criticism for not providing clear answers about scheduled meetings with Manchester City's chairman after the club was found guilty of financial misconduct. Originally reported by Dailymail.
Andy Burnham refuses to answer
Andy Burnham has refused to answer questions over whether he was due to meet the chairman of scandal-hit Manchester City last month.
PM under pressure
The Prime Minister is coming under growing pressure to reveal the full extent of his connections with City's billionaire bosses after his intervention in support of the club raised eyebrows.
Six meetings reported
Last week it was revealed that Mr Burnham had met City bosses at least six times as Mayor of Greater Manchester, despite previously claiming he had just one 'significant' meeting with them.
PM denies fraud links
The PM insisted in the Commons last Wednesday that Man City's owners had never raised the question of fraud charges against the football club with him.
PMQs response
Mr Burnham said at last week's PMQ's that he was 'happy for everything to be set out in full' regarding his dealings with the club.
Tory criticism
Shadow sport minister Louie French told the Mail: 'Once again Andy Burnham has failed to give a straight answer to a straight question.'
Manchester City guilty
Last month Man City was found guilty of the vast majority of charges brought against the club for financial wrongdoing by the Premier League.
£900m sham deals
An independent commission ruled the club had disguised payments worth £900million through a series of 'sham' deals in a bid to mislead the football league.
Downing Street meeting
Just days before the guilty verdicts were announced, City chairman Mr Al Mubarak met Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds in Downing Street to discuss Abu Dhabi's investments in Britain.
Downing Street says
A Downing Street spokesman said that Mr Burnham did not attend the meeting and had not met City's owners since becoming Prime Minister in July.
Tory demand
However, the Tories have called for the PM to clarify whether there had been a scheduled meeting with Mr Al Mubarak that had been due to take place in September.
PM's concern
Mr Burnham raised eyebrows after the guilty verdict when he said he would be 'concerned' to lose City's billionaire owners as they had been a 'huge partner in the building of modern Manchester'.
Downing Street clarification
After his remarks sparked criticism, No10 was forced to clarify that the guilty verdict against City was 'serious' and that the club was not 'above the rules'.
Manchester City appeals
Manchester City has appealed against the guilty verdict and denies all wrongdoing.
The big picture
Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces criticism for not providing clear answers about scheduled meetings with Manchester City's chairman after the club was found guilty of financial misconduct.
