Downing Street says Manchester City proceedings must remain independent

Downing Street has said the independent proceedings against Manchester City must be allowed to reach their conclusion, following criticism of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's comments about the club's owners. According to BBC reporting, a Number 10 spokesperson said the outcome should be respected and that established wrongdoing should bring appropriate consequences for those responsible.

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The clarification followed Burnham's BBC interview on Wednesday, in which he said he would be concerned if City's owners sold the club. Burnham, who served as Greater Manchester mayor until June, praised their contribution to Manchester's development. He also said he was not directly intervening in the case and that the Premier League needed to conduct the process independently.

An independent panel found that City had breached Premier League rules, including by arranging commercial contracts to conceal more than £830m in funding. The Premier League said the breaches had continued for almost a decade. City deny wrongdoing and, the BBC reported, have until Friday to submit an appeal. A separate sanctions hearing will determine any punishment and could take months to convene.

Conservative shadow sports minister Louie French criticised Burnham for backing the owners while proceedings remained active and called for the commission to work without political pressure. Liberal Democrat sports spokesperson Anna Sabine also challenged the prime minister's remarks, saying supporters of all clubs needed assurance that rules applied equally. Their comments concerned the government's position, rather than any announcement of a sanction against City.

The case has also drawn attention from Parliament's Treasury committee. Its chair, Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, wrote to HMRC on Thursday seeking reassurance about its consideration of potential tax implications. Separately, Independent Football Regulator chairman David Kogan said the case raised serious issues. He said the regulator could assess the suitability of owners, directors and executives and would use those powers where appropriate, taking league findings into account.

Former City and Football Association chairman David Bernstein added his concern about Burnham's intervention in comments to BBC Newsnight. Bernstein, who chaired City from 1998 to 2003, stressed the need for the regulator to operate without political interference. No punishment was settled in the report: the sanctions process remained outstanding, and City continued to reject the accusations.