A representative from Manchester City was invited on a government-backed trade delegation to India this week, despite the club being found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League rules. Bev Craig, the new mayor of Greater Manchester, took the club representative to Delhi and Mumbai on a trip organized by business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, where she and other northern mayors promoted British trade and tourism.
Mayor's Defense
Craig defended the decision to invite City, even as Prime Minister faced criticism for his connections with the club. She stated,
“"If a football club has broken the rules, a football club should be punished for breaking the rules, and that is pretty clear in an independent process."
She added that residents in East Manchester have benefited from various infrastructure projects funded by the club, including:
- A new library
- A new leisure center
- A new sixth-form college
Club's Response
Manchester City, which claims innocence regarding the charges and has appealed, declined to comment on the matter. This revelation comes as Andy Burnham, Craig's predecessor, faced scrutiny over his relationship with the club's owners during his tenure as mayor.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister clarified that he had two additional dinners with City chair Khaldoon al-Mubarak at the Etihad Stadium, which he had previously categorized only as matchday hospitality. During Prime Minister's Questions, Burnham stated that no one from the club had raised the Premier League charges with him.
