Andy Burnham has been urged to “come clean” over a “huge plot” to help the United Arab Emirates (UAE) benefit from a major broadband deal. While Mayor of Manchester, Mr Burnham’s office backed a merger between British firm Substantial and CityFibre, which is part-owned by an Emirati sovereign wealth fund whose chief executive, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, is also the chairman of Manchester City. In 2021/22, the UAE invested £800 million in CityFibre, and is expected to inject it with another £900 million in funding.

Questions are now swirling about whether the Prime Minister was personally involved in the decision to lobby the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on behalf of CityFibre.

On the latest episode of the Daily Express’ podcast, the Daily Expresso, host JJ Anisiobi called on the Prime Minister to answer the questions and “come clean” to the British public. He said: “Burnham, you’ve gotta come clean.

“You’ve gotta come clean and answer the questions, because it seems like there has been a huge plot from Andy Burnham to help the United Arab Emirates land a massive broadband deal here in the UK, but also several other deals across Manchester.”

He added: “The people who get awarded those contracts are gonna make billions and billions more back. So instead of that going to British businesses, British companies, British firms, they’re giving it, seemingly, to the Arabs…

Andy Burnham has come under fire. (Image: Getty)

“So British companies are losing out because contracts are going across. It cuts out competition. It’s terrible.”

Shadow sports minister Louie French also urged Mr Burnham to “come clean” and questioned the extent of his involvement in lobbying the CMA.

She said: “These revelations raise fresh concerns about Mr Burnham’s cosy relationship with Manchester City’s owners. He must come clean: What is his explanation for this lobbying?”

Mr Anisiobi echoed these concerns on the podcast, stating: “We need to know if the Prime Minister was personally involved in this lobbying. We need to know that. Who was involved in the decision to lobby the CMA on behalf of CityFibre?”

Downing Street declined to comment.

Mr Burnham had a formal meeting with Mr Al Mubarak at an investment summit, chatted to him in the stands at a star player’s testimonial game and was accompanied by staff from the club on official overseas visits.

Details of the Prime Minister’s contacts with the scandal-hit club and its Abu Dhabi owners during his time as Greater Manchester mayor were released by the combined authority.

Mr Burnham told MPs that “all of my dealings” with Manchester City’s owners would be published.

Andy Burnham Under Fire as New Abu Dhabi Files Revealed: ‘Come Clean!’

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing mounting political pressure following fresh revelations about his connections with Abu Dhabi investors and their involvement in major British business deals. Newly highlighted documents have raised questions about whether Burnham’s office helped advance the commercial interests of United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed companies while he was serving as Mayor of Greater Manchester.

The controversy centres on a proposed merger involving British broadband company Substantial and CityFibre, which is partly owned by an Emirati sovereign wealth fund. Critics are demanding that Burnham explain his involvement in discussions surrounding the deal and whether he personally supported efforts to persuade Britain’s competition regulator to approve the arrangement.

The allegations have created another difficult political situation for Burnham, whose previous relationships with Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi-backed owners have already attracted considerable scrutiny.

Opposition politicians are now demanding greater transparency, insisting that the British public deserves to know exactly what happened and whether national economic interests were properly protected.

1. The Abu Dhabi Broadband Deal at the Centre of the Controversy

The latest controversy concerns CityFibre, a major British telecommunications company that has received substantial investment from Abu Dhabi-linked financial interests.

According to reports, the UAE invested approximately £800 million in CityFibre during 2021 and 2022, with another £900 million in funding expected.

The company has become an important player in Britain’s broadband infrastructure market, competing to expand full-fibre internet connections across the country.

The proposed merger involving British firm Substantial and CityFibre has therefore attracted considerable attention because of its potential commercial and regulatory implications.

Critics are particularly concerned about whether the arrangement could strengthen the position of foreign-backed investors in Britain’s telecommunications industry.

Broadband infrastructure is strategically important because it supports businesses, public services, financial institutions and millions of households.

Consequently, decisions involving major telecommunications companies are not simply commercial matters. They can also have implications for national economic security and competition.

The central question is whether Burnham’s office played an inappropriate role in supporting the interests of Abu Dhabi-linked investors.

However, the reported revelations do not by themselves establish that Burnham acted improperly or that any competition rules were broken.

2. Did Burnham Personally Lobby the Competition Regulator?

One of the most serious questions concerns the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the independent regulator responsible for protecting competition in British markets.

Reports suggest that Burnham’s office supported efforts connected with the proposed broadband merger and that questions have now emerged about possible lobbying of the CMA.

The controversy has intensified because critics want to establish whether Burnham personally participated in those discussions or whether the decisions were made by officials within Greater Manchester’s administration.

Daily Express podcast presenter JJ Anisiobi called on the Prime Minister to explain the situation.

He said:

“Burnham, you’ve gotta come clean.”

He questioned who had been involved in the decision to approach the regulator and whether British companies could have lost commercial opportunities as a consequence.

The criticism centres on whether a foreign-backed business arrangement received political assistance that might have disadvantaged domestic competitors.

Downing Street declined to comment on the latest allegations.

3. The £1.7 Billion Investment Question

The financial scale of Abu Dhabi’s involvement has made the controversy particularly sensitive.

The reported £800 million investment in CityFibre, alongside a further expected £900 million, demonstrates the importance of UAE-backed capital in Britain’s telecommunications sector.

Supporters of overseas investment argue that international funding is essential for developing expensive infrastructure projects.

Building nationwide fibre-optic broadband networks requires substantial capital, specialist technology and long-term financial commitments.

Foreign investment can help accelerate these projects, create employment and improve digital connectivity.

However, critics argue that the government must ensure that overseas investors do not receive preferential treatment at the expense of British businesses.

There is also a wider question about how much influence foreign sovereign wealth funds should have over strategically important British infrastructure.

The government must strike a balance between welcoming international investment and protecting fair competition.

4. Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi Owners Add to the Pressure

The latest revelations have revived questions about Burnham’s longstanding connections with Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi-backed ownership.

During his nine years as Greater Manchester mayor, Burnham maintained contact with senior Manchester City executives, including chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

Previously disclosed information revealed several interactions:

• A formal meeting with Al Mubarak at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit in October 2021.

• An informal conversation during Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match in September 2019.

• Manchester City representatives accompanying Greater Manchester business delegations on overseas visits to China and Japan.

• Hospitality at Manchester City matches, including two dinners with the club’s chairman.

Burnham previously promised that details of his dealings with Manchester City’s owners would be published.

The issue became particularly controversial after an independent Premier League commission found Manchester City guilty of financial regulation breaches. The club has disputed the findings and appealed.

Burnham had attracted criticism after expressing concern about the possibility of the Abu Dhabi owners selling the club, praising their contribution to Manchester’s regeneration.

Downing Street subsequently clarified that the Prime Minister recognised the seriousness of the findings and that nobody should be above the rules.

The combination of his football connections and the latest broadband allegations has intensified scrutiny of his relationships with Abu Dhabi-linked business interests.

5. Conservatives Demand Answers

The political reaction has been particularly strong among opposition politicians.

Shadow sports minister Louie French has demanded that Burnham explain the nature of his relationship with Manchester City’s owners and clarify his involvement in the reported lobbying.

Critics argue that the Prime Minister cannot simply refer questions to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

They believe that he must personally account for decisions taken by his administration when he was mayor.

The Liberal Democrats have also previously called for the publication of all meetings, conversations and hospitality involving Burnham and Manchester City’s ownership groups.

Their position is that transparency is essential when politicians maintain relationships with powerful international investors.

The controversy could become increasingly damaging for Labour if further documents reveal that senior politicians were directly involved in decisions benefiting particular commercial interests.

However, it is important to distinguish political questions about transparency from evidence of actual misconduct. No established finding in the reporting cited here proves that Burnham personally interfered with the CMA’s decision-making.

6. Could the Controversy Damage Britain’s Relationship with Abu Dhabi?

The situation also has potential diplomatic and economic consequences.

The United Arab Emirates is an important international investment partner for Britain, with interests across infrastructure, property, finance, telecommunications and sport.

Abu Dhabi-backed investment has contributed to several major British development projects.

The publication of further investigations into Abu Dhabi’s proposed acquisition of The Daily Telegraph has also added to tensions.

A report by Ofcom examining the proposed RedBird IMI takeover reportedly raised concerns about the potential impact of UAE-linked ownership on British press freedom and editorial independence.

These developments demonstrate that the relationship between Britain and Abu Dhabi involves more than commercial investment.

It also raises questions about foreign ownership, national security, media independence and the protection of Britain’s strategic interests.

The government must therefore handle the controversy carefully, ensuring that legitimate investment is welcomed without compromising transparency or regulatory independence.

Conclusion

Andy Burnham is facing increasingly difficult questions following the latest revelations concerning Abu Dhabi-linked investments and the proposed broadband merger involving CityFibre.

The most important issue is whether his office played an inappropriate role in supporting the interests of foreign-backed businesses and whether he personally participated in efforts to influence the Competition and Markets Authority.

His previous relationships with Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners have added another layer of political sensitivity to the allegations.

Although no evidence cited here establishes personal wrongdoing, the questions surrounding transparency and potential conflicts of interest deserve serious attention.

In my opinion, Burnham should publish a detailed account of the relevant meetings, communications and decisions. The British public deserves to understand whether his actions were motivated entirely by the economic interests of Greater Manchester and whether the appropriate regulatory procedures were followed.

Foreign investment can bring considerable benefits to Britain, but it must operate under transparent rules that apply equally to domestic and international companies.

Ultimately, the Prime Minister’s response could prove crucial in determining whether this controversy remains a political disagreement or develops into a much more serious question about accountability at the highest levels of government.