Andy Burnham faces more criticism after sharing a new statement about the Man City case
Andy Burnham gets called out for his latest comments on the Man City situation
Andy Burnham has faced more criticism after Downing Street tried to clear up his comments about Manchester City breaking Premier League financial rules.
This week, City was found guilty of almost all the 115 charges against them, and Burnham said he would be “really concerned” if the club’s owners had to sell the team. He said, “They’ve played a big role in building modern Manchester and turning Manchester City into a global force.”
Speaking at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Burnham also thanked the City Football Group and the owners for investing not just in the Etihad stadium and its surroundings, but in the whole city.
The Prime Minister said he didn’t want to assume guilt too soon. He compared the situation to his own football team, Everton, which faced a smaller financial rules charge a few years ago. “I stood up for Everton back then because I believed they weren’t treated fairly,” he explained. “Many people called them guilty at the time, but with hindsight, I think people see that was unfair. So, it wouldn’t be right for me to jump to conclusions now.”
Burnham’s “really concerned” comment about City’s owners selling the club drew sharp criticism. The Conservative Party called his words “completely out of touch” and “extraordinary.”
On Thursday, Downing Street issued a statement to explain Burnham’s remarks, but some questioned the use of the word “wrongdoing.” A spokesman said, “The Prime Minister made it clear the judgement is serious, and no one is above the rules. He stressed this is an ongoing independent process, which must be allowed to finish and the result respected.” They added, “Anyone found guilty should face the right consequences.”
Some fans were confused by the statement. One asked, “Hasn’t wrongdoing already been established?” Another said, “Burnham is still saying ‘if wrongdoing is established’ — but it has been. This is the final decision, even if there’s a possible appeal.” A third added, “Wrongdoing has been found. The appeal is just to challenge the guilty verdict after the tribunal,” and a fourth commented, “The wrongdoing has been established, hasn’t it?”