No10’s Pep talk

TODAY we report how Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak met a senior Government minister just days before the club was found guilty of stunning levels of wrongdoing by a Premier League panel.

Al Mubarak asked for talks with Business Secretary in his capacity as CEO of the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund.

Andy Burnham, The Mayor of Manchester, with Manchester City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
Questions are now being asked over how close Andy Burnham got with Manchester City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak Credit: PA
Prime Minister Andy Burnham leaves 10 Downing Street carrying a red folder.
Mr Burnham is learning the hard way that he needs to think before he speaks, after the backlash to his recent comments Credit: Alamy

The request was agreed, and the red carpet well and truly rolled out — with the itself.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and the about City’s owners quitting the UK in response to the panel’s findings.

Officials will doubtless insist the two events are entirely unconnected.

But, at the very least, the timing looks bad — and makes it even more remarkable didn’t keep his mouth shut, rather than risk accusations of political interference at a time when , and its punishment is still to be determined.

Officials subsequently corrected their boss, stating “there can’t be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules”.

Yet it speaks volumes that, while trying to unpick the PM’s mess, No10 tied itself in further knots.

In a first statement, officials said: “If wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences.”

As critics quickly pointed out, there was no “if” about it, given City had already been found guilty of more than 100 charges. Cue a clarification to the clarification, with the “if” changed to “wherever”.

Downing Street is unlikely to have heard the last of this.

There are legitimate questions to answer about how close Burnham got to City’s mega-rich owners when he was Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Is this why in response to the Premier League’s verdict?

What is certain is that it is for to determine what should happen to his his pals at .

Not a PM who is learning the hard way that he needs to think before he speaks.

Drop slot tax

In the long run, it would also COST the Treasury tens of millions of pounds.

At ’s party conference, pledged to give “breathing space” to families AND businesses.

If the Chancellor is true to his word, he’ll declare this latest mad idea a non-runner.