Labour MPs took £300,000 in UAE flights and Man City freebies as Burnham oversaw £55m taxpayer loan to Arab state

From the Newshound archive · first published 11 October 2026.

Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell received complimentary tickets to five Manchester City matches — including an £840 VIP seat — with the total value reaching £2,360, as Labour MPs as a whole amassed nearly £275,000 in UAE-funded travel and hospitality, outstripping every other party combined. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, during his tenure as Mayor of Manchester, personally oversaw a £55 million taxpayer loan to the UAE and publicly defended City's Abu Dhabi owners following the club's conviction on more than 100 Premier League financial regulation breaches.

Man City was convicted last month on charges that it used sham commercial deals to conceal over £900 million in costs between 2009 and 2018.

Former PM Sir Keir Starmer also accepted a £900 City ticket, while MP Jeff Smith attended the 2024 FA Cup final at Man City's expense.

TaxPayers' Alliance warns the freebies 'raise serious questions about foreign influence and transparency' given the UAE's ownership of the club.