Downing Street says Manchester City must face rules as financial case continues

Downing Street has said Manchester City must be subject to the same rules as everyone else, clarifying its position after Prime Minister Andy Burnham expressed concern about the prospect of the club's owners leaving. According to BBC reporting, the statement followed criticism of his response to an independent commission's findings on City's breaches of Premier League financial rules.

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A Number 10 spokesperson described the initial judgment as serious and said the independent proceedings should be allowed to reach their conclusion, with the outcome respected. The spokesperson also said anyone found responsible for wrongdoing should face appropriate consequences. The clarification came after Burnham's remarks on Wednesday prompted objections from the Conservatives, who questioned whether political pressure was being brought to bear on the case.

The commission found City guilty of most of the 115 charges brought against them, the BBC reported. Its findings included arrangements with commercial partners that concealed more than £830 million in funding. The Premier League said the club's breaches extended across nearly a decade. City continue to deny wrongdoing and have until Friday to lodge an appeal, meaning the findings remain contested by the club.

In his interview with the BBC, Burnham said he was not intervening in the proceedings and that the Premier League had to conduct them independently. He nevertheless expressed concern about losing City's owners, citing their contribution to Manchester and the club's international growth. Burnham, who was Greater Manchester mayor until June, also said he was confident his dealings with the owners while in that role would withstand scrutiny.

The commission is still due to hold a hearing to determine sanctions. The BBC said that hearing could take months to arrange, with a substantial fine or a points deduction among the possible punishments. Those possibilities are not confirmed penalties: the disciplinary process has yet to settle what consequences City will face.

The Independent Football Regulator has also responded. Its chairman, David Kogan, said the case raised serious issues and pointed to the regulator's powers to assess owners, directors and executives. He said those powers would be used where appropriate, taking league findings into account, while acknowledging that proceedings were continuing and expressing hope for a swift resolution.