30 Sep 2026 21:12:27
How embarrassing of a country are we? The prime minister saying he doesn't want to lose city owners.
Honestly, it just gets worse and worse in this country.
30 Sep 2026 22:31:25
Wouldn't be like a politician to be completely inept at reading the room and public opinion.
30 Sep 2026 22:32:19
We're poorly led. We have been for decades.
He's obviously on their payroll.
There isn't a politician out there who prioritises the nation over their own political agenda. Filthy rats the lot of them.
30 Sep 2026 22:48:03
What's wrong with that?
They have invested millions into Manchester and he is the former mayor.
They should just take their punishment.
30 Sep 2026 23:15:43
If Burnham is on their payroll, isn't that another charge? ?
And one for Burnham? ?
Come on, Ron, let's see the irrefutable evidence for this claim, please.
30 Sep 2026 23:19:03
Why is he getting involved?
Where are his priorities?
He has a lot of work to do getting this country back on its feet, that doesn't not include pining for Man City's owners to remain.
If they are not 'fit and proper owners' they should be kicked out. How anyone could say they are fit and proper, especially some nincompoop unelected prime minister, beggars belief.
30 Sep 2026 23:23:35
You don't think inner city mayors have ever taken a back hander from rich developers?
You need to get out more Rigsby.
Why else would he waste his time commenting on it?
They've called in a favour.
01 Oct 2026 00:09:38
It is all very strange. Why's he getting involved? It's nothing to do with him, let the commission get on with their job without interference.
01 Oct 2026 00:20:54
It makes you wonder if Burnham is up to his neck in shady deals when Manchester Mayor. Burnham said it's got nothing to do with him so what's he opened his mouth for. Very suspicious. The plot thickens and Rui Pinto said he's got more on City. It's an utter scandal what they've been up to.
01 Oct 2026 01:33:36
It's an absolute disgrace, and it jsut goes to show you where his priorities lie. He said "I would be really concerned to lose them. I can't intervene MORE in the process." ?
".
01 Oct 2026 00:02:51
Ron, you're asking why Burnham is getting involved and then telling me why he is getting involved. That's up to you but I'd need a bit more evidence before arriving at the conclusions you have. There was an extensive investigation into City's dealings but I don't believe there's been one into Burnham's yet.
Do you think if I get out more there'll be an investigation into Burnham receiving backhanders?
Also Burnham said he was 'concerned' about the City owners. That's hardly pining, is it?
They've not even been sanctioned yet!
And has he ever said that they were 'fit and proper' owners?
The Labour Party was elected to govern the country and Andy Burnham is the leader.
That's how it works. Individuals don't get to elect other individuals to be their PM.
That's not how democracy works in this country.
01 Oct 2026 04:22:52
Any chance we can allow and process the current issues and let them play out before we click bait and castigate other figures?
01 Oct 2026 06:25:03
No matter where you live, what country you are in, politicians are all exactly the same.
They all take guidance from the same playbook
Corruption is rife in politics
The difference, is the actual will of a country and its people to put up with the corrupt politicians.
01 Oct 2026 06:41:48
@Rigsby, I think you might find that Britain isn't actually a democracy, it's a constitutional monarchy. The Royal Family and House of Lords aren't elected, only the members of the House of Commons are. The Commons (if you close one eye and squint through the other one sometimes tries to be democratic but they aren't very good at it. The last time there was genuine democracy, or rather things were put on place to promote democracy was the creation of the welfare state, ironically championed by a Tory, RAB Butler.
The current generation of politicians, by and large are a shower of attention seeking self- publicists and they wouldn't recognise democracy if it walked up to them and, as a wiseman once said, 'webbed them in the teds'.
01 Oct 2026 07:05:46
Rigsby still believes in democracy that's very hopeful of you, i wish i had that optimism but the world now days is being divided like a math teacher doing trig.
This whole situation shows you it doesn't exist. Rules don't apply to everyone the same. The guys watching football and paying their hard earned money to watch it every week are being moved further and further away from the game. A good example would be the Fifa world cup and now this.
Keep those despot politicians away from football, how a country was allowed to buy a club and not think they where going to try bend the rules is crazy to me.
01 Oct 2026 07:41:59
He just doesn't need to get involved does he, surely he can see he's got bigger things to be getting on with. Surely the whole thing just proves sports washing works!
01 Oct 2026 07:47:38
Absolutely spot on Ron, they've called in a favour all came the same time as Etihad Airways backed the club. All trying to put pressure on the Premier League they know they are in the poop.
The backhanders would never be found anyway so pointless looking.
01 Oct 2026 07:31:22
Surly rigsby comments like that by a prime minister are only encouraging every UK company to 'cook the books' in whatever way they can.
01 Oct 2026 07:57:08
I was talking about how democracy works in this country; more about the voting system and Burnham being unelected.
Most of us don't vote for the PM. We vote for our local MP.
It was obviously set up to allow Burnham to become an MP again so that the Labour Party could vote for him to be leader.
It turned out that he was unchallenged but that's another story.
I've never voted for a PM in my life. I vote for politicians to become MPs.
If they are all corrupt, I guess that also makes me corrupt ?.
01 Oct 2026 08:33:45
Digger, it doesn't me to exaggerate my revenues ?.
Seriously, Burnham was answering about the City owners leaving. We don't even know that they are yet. Many, many others will be concerned and affected if they do leave. However you look at it, City brings in a lot of money to the country and to a lot of people.
They have cheated and should be punished but a lot of other clubs and people could also be punished if some of the sanctions that I've read about are enforced.
01 Oct 2026 09:34:35
I completely and wholeheartedly disagree. Speak to real people in Manchester and you will find out exactly what he's talking about. Doesn't excuse their cheating, but after being left to rot by successive governments it shouldn't surprise anyone that the former Mayor is reluctant to join the witch hunt of those who actually improved the lives of his former constituents.
Burnham has tons of credit in the bank with me and he should with any Liverpool supporter after his efforts for the Hillsborough families. So long as he doesn't interfere in what is a Sporting matter, he should be entitled to hold his opinion.
01 Oct 2026 08:55:58
Burnham stuck both feet in his mouth right there. What he said is what he actually thinks. That was not a misspeak. He can try to walk it back all he wants but he "don messed up" royally on this.
If he is smart (which doesn't seem to be), he should just evade from talking about this because trust me, the questions won't stop esp. after that rhetorical disaster he just gratified the whole football world with.
01 Oct 2026 10:12:18
Rhetorical disaster?
Get a grip, OliRed.
01 Oct 2026 11:22:45
FORNAX:
Is it a witch hunt?
It seems there is a literal mountain of evidence that they are metaphorical "witches".
It's only a witch hunt if they are being unfairly tarnished as witches. These guys are flying around on broomsticks with their black cats casting spells and crying about a witch hunt.
01 Oct 2026 12:41:33
When I speak about witch hunts, I'm more referring to the media frenzy going on at the minute, while offering nothing new. They're just feeding and profiting off genuine feelings of outrage and confusion. Every man and his dog is being asked for an opinion, why was the prime minister being asked about this when as others rightly point out he has more important things going on?
In my view, Burnham will have had nothing but positive interactions with CFG who have invested significantly into their local area. You can argue about whether that is all down to deeper PR reason and I think you'd be right, but whatever the case their "generosity" has massively improved the lives of a lot of real people. I can understand why someone who represented those people directly would be reluctant to engage in the media storm and would obviously not want to see that investment permanently leave the area.