Lucy Powell is one of the MPs who has accepted gifts (Image: Getty)
Labour politicians have accepted just under £300,000 in freebies from the United Arab Emirates and the Middle Eastern state’s Premier League football club, Manchester City, an investigation has found. The party’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, enjoyed an £840 VIP ticket to a game, the Sun revealed. The club was found guilty by an independent panel of 114 out of 115 charges after an investigation into the its finances. Sheikh Mansour, Vice President of the UAE, bought City in 2008. Records show Labour MPs accepted about £275,000 in trips offered by the Arab nation.
They were also given £14,000 worth of tickets and hospitality from Manchester City. Ms Powell, who was brought back into the Cabinet by Andy Burnham — the former Mayor of Greater Manchester — is the MP for Manchester Central, the constituency that City’s Etihad Stadium is located in.
She accepted free tickets to five matches over 11 months, worth £2,360. Andrew Western, Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston, went to four matches, including two VIP tickets to the Community Shield match at Wembley in 2024, which were worth £880.
The MP for Manchester Withington, Jeff Smith, went to see City four times — including the FA Cup Final in 2024. His ticket was worth £1,798. Sir Keir Starmer got a £900 ticket to watch City face his team, Arsenal, in March 2024.
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William Yarwood, Campaigns Director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, told the Sun: “Taxpayers will be concerned to hear that politicians are receiving gifts that may lead to conflicts of interest. Against the backdrop of ongoing scrutiny of UAE-backed Manchester City, politicians dining at the club’s expense raises serious questions about foreign influence and transparency.
“Politicians who are elected to serve taxpayers must uphold the highest standards of integrity and avoid any conflicts of interest.”
Labour is not the only party to have accepted freebies, as, since 2012, the UAE has spent £467,000 on at least 78 entries into MPs’ Register of Interests.
Manchester City has been found guilty of financial rule breaches (Image: Getty)
Mr Burnham’s party recorded £275,000 for 25 MPs. The SNP recorded £15,000 across four entries, the Liberal Democrats £3,500 and Reform UK £1,000.
City coach Enzo Maresca insisted the club’s titles had not been tainted as he stated his unwavering trust in the club today. The Italian said he is confident City will win its appeal.
Maresca did not fully commit to remaining at the Etihad Stadium should the appeal fail, but stressed he was not looking that far ahead. “The reason why I joined this club is because I completely trust, 100%, the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, the whole organisation,” he said.
“I don’t have any doubt about that. There is not another club in the world where I would like to be. I am very happy to be here, I am very proud, as I’ve said since day one. I would like to speak about this situation when we are going to win the appeal. I completely trust the club in this moment, in the future, always.”
Politicians Slammed Over £300,000 in UAE Freebies Including Flights and Football Tickets
A political row has erupted over reports that politicians received benefits worth more than £300,000 from the United Arab Emirates, including flights and football tickets. The figures have renewed questions about transparency, political accountability and the rules governing gifts and hospitality accepted by people holding public office.
The controversy raises an important issue for British democracy: when politicians receive expensive benefits from a foreign government or organisations connected to it, how can the public be confident that their decisions remain independent?
Flights, invitations to major sporting events and other forms of hospitality can provide opportunities for diplomatic engagement. Governments routinely maintain relationships with foreign states, and meetings outside formal diplomatic settings can be part of that process. However, expensive benefits can also create the appearance of privileged access, particularly when the recipients are elected representatives or influential political figures.
The central question is not simply whether a politician has broken a rule. It is whether the arrangements are transparent, properly declared and consistent with the public’s expectation that political decisions are made in the national interest.
Why the Reported £300,000 Total Has Attracted Attention
A figure exceeding £300,000 is substantial enough to prompt questions about who received the benefits, what those benefits included and why they were provided.
The reported total covers benefits such as flights and football tickets. Depending on the arrangements, hospitality can also include accommodation, transport, meals and invitations to high-profile events. These items may carry considerable value, particularly when travel involves international flights or premium sporting experiences.
However, a combined figure does not necessarily mean that any single politician received £300,000 personally. The total may represent benefits received by multiple individuals over a particular period. Understanding the figures therefore requires examining the underlying disclosures and the circumstances of each recipient.
The distinction matters because public debate can become misleading when a headline figure is interpreted without its context.
Nevertheless, substantial gifts and hospitality from overseas sources deserve scrutiny. The public should be able to establish which politicians benefited, whether the arrangements were officially declared and whether the benefits were connected to legitimate diplomatic or parliamentary activities.
Those details are essential to determining what the figures actually reveal.