These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Test yourself with these 12 questions, Do you know your local leaders from your Manchester suburbs? Everybody will be lifted up if we all aim for equality: Hundreds line the streets in the city centre for Manchester's annual Walk for Women, The march is one of many taking place across the UK for International Women's Day, Emotional scenes at Etihad as Man City fans and Phil Foden pay tribute to tragic Milly-Rose, 6, who died suddenly, The emotional display happened during the sixth minute of Manchester City vs Newcastle, 'We ditched our corporate jobs for life on a narrowboat with our baby - we've never been happier', Despite earning a sixth of their previous income, Joanna and Victor Gould are loving the slower pace of life, We took Jay Rayner for lunch at one his favourite Manchester restaurants - heres what he had to say about the citys food, We sat down for lunch with the acclaimed food critic ahead of his show 'Jazz Up the 80s with the Jay Rayner Sextet' at Manchester's Albert Hall, 'School banned my business when I was 12. Other allegations of torture included one detainee saying he was "beaten with a plastic tube all over my body"; another wrote he was tied to a chair and threatened with electrocution. Now I finally have relief from endometriosis', Hannah Bingham spent years suffering from the condition, Price stamps to rise next month - pushing first class above 1, Gogglebox star Ellie reveals gender of her baby in sweet scenes, The mum-to-be is expecting her first child, Police searching for wanted teen over a 'serious assault', Calum McManus, 18, is being sought over an alleged attack in Heywood yesterday, 'The man was a legend' - Tributes paid to man who died after being hit by digger at industrial estate, Hundreds of people have paid tribute to John Graveson on Facebook following the tragedy, Shoppers flock to buy 2.50 'game changing' item that solves G, Lidl and Aldi pot hoarding problem, The item is one of many ways you can upcycle and reuse your old dessert ramekins, Cody Gakpo opens up on Manchester United ahead of Liverpool FC clash. Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox. Sir Richard Leese was elected to the city council in 1984, Sir Richard (right) joined Mayor Andy Burnham in criticising the government's lockdown measures in October, Sir Richard helped oversee the transformation of East Manchester, which is home to Manchester City. Manchester council has launched an investigation and called in the police after allegations were made against its head of corporate technical services, Terry Burke. The UAE authorities argue it was not the petition itself that led to those posting it being arrested but the continued criticism with which they followed it up. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. It does not store any personal data. I took it online and made 25k', Jasmine Shum turned to Instagram after she was banned from selling her creations in the playground, How well do you really know Greater Manchester? Seen as one of the most powerful Labour politicians in England, Sir Richard signed up to the devolution deal, which saw more powers shifted from central government to regional authorities. A council spokesman said: We are carrying out an internal investigation into allegations made about a council officer. A mayor accused of a coverup. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. And who can forget the. The council is controlled by the Labour Party and led by Bev Craig. On 2 July, at the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi, 69 of the 94 were found guilty of plotting to overthrow the regime. It was in relation to allegations that Elliott, McLean and Sibblies, over a 3-year period between 2013 and 2016, conspired to process fraudulent cheques, which were then withdrawn from the municipal corporations bank account. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. Judge Grainger ruled today that Elliot, Harris and Roberts had all knowingly participated in the scheme. Wednesday's indictment of Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas makes him the third current or former L.A. councilmember to face . ", Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? Anderson, the former mayor, has denied the allegations against him and suggested this week that they were the result of jealousy. Der Spiegel should be applauded for its brilliant and important journalism. GB Building Solutions has launched its own investigation after Manchester council suspended its head of corporate technical services, Terry Burke, following allegations that he profited from deals done by the council. Sheikh Mansour's money is now building a 140m training campus on 80 acres of largely derelict land, the most significant private business investment into east Manchester for years. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. "The UAE judicial system ensures that the rule of law prevails and that no person is above the law," the Ministry of Justice said in a statement. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. He and I have been there together at difficult moments.". Now I finally have relief from endometriosis', Police searching for wanted teen over a 'serious assault', Heywood: Man wanted on suspicion of violent crimes, Water company issues update after pipe bursts in Bolton, Relaunch of Sing! "All men are born free, equal and independent of each other," Hunt had declared before the forces charged. The UAE authorities' response to the torture allegations, which were raised in court, is to argue that the alleged victims should have reported them to the police. The investigation centres on whether or not Mr Burke, from Worsley, Salford, profited from deals done by the council. "I am a liberal secularist and do not belong to any religious group," Mansoor told the Guardian. "That should be of concern to football supporters as well as human rights organisations. There are three for each of the 32 wards. Hatton has not commented on his arrest. Labour figures fear losing the mayoralty, a position created by Anderson in 2012, would cast them into the wilderness because the mayor selects their own cabinet and would be unlikely to pick members tainted by the corruption scandal. In 2009, some fans clubbed together to pay for a banner, draped ever since along the stand opposite the directors' box. In a UK and Europe again in economic depression after the banking collapse, the real wealth from the oil and gas-rich Gulf states is eagerly sought, not only in football. Several were given severe sentences, including the lawyers Mohamed al-Roken and Mohamed al-Mansoori, both sent to prison for 10 years. Fraud ii. Sheikh Mansour bought City in 2008, and has since spent around 1bn of the fortune he wields as a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, principally to buy and pay the multimillion-pound wages of footballers to make City successful. PROBE INTO DEALS: Terry Burke has been suspended from his post at Manchester council. over financial fair play (FFP) rules to detract from pride in their club. Judge Grainger says based on inference, it was concluded that Mrs. Elliot knew the property and items she obtained were purchased with cash derived from the criminal conduct of her husband. Visit our website at www.manchester.gov.uk Football Leaks claims Euro Super League talks held by clubs, Man City: Uefa 'deceived' over FFP regulations, claims Der Spiegel, Man City and Paris St-Germain 'are cheating and should be punished', We have known since 2014, when City reluctantly accepted a settlement with Uefa that. Dine wrote that the British government has followed the trial closely, and the foreign secretary, William Hague, had: "Raised the importance of ensuring the human rights of all Emirati citizens are fully respected. Mr Burke refused to comment on the allegations. The keenly watched hearing lasted over 4 hours today. Please don't include any personal or financial information, for example your National Insurance or credit card numbers. We have known since 2014, when City reluctantly accepted a settlement with Uefa that included a 49m fine (two-thirds of which was suspended and avoided) along with restrictions on their European. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. When David Silva, Sergio Agero and Yaya Tour weave their patterns in the Etihad Stadium, the hoardings around the pitch beam "Visit Abu Dhabi, Travellers Welcome" to the 200 countries where Premier League football is viewed a great global advert. Michael Parkinson, an honorary professor at the University of Liverpool who has written extensively about the citys history, said it was a very challenging, depressing moment and that there was a real risk of reputational damage to all of Liverpool not just the council. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. LONDON (AP) - Manchester City is now a tainted champion. That their club is being used as a form of 'soft-power', to improve the image of a repressive regime in the United Arab Emirates that continues to be accused of human rights abuses. That is why the NIA boss is calling for other corruption cases like the Petrojam matter, to be brought swiftly before the courts. City supporters are used to such scrutiny of course. In December, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned by the worsening situation for human rights lawyers in the UAE." 2:16. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Many of the council's staff are based at Manchester Town Hall . A senior town hall manager has been suspended amid claims of corruption. The Labour politician oversaw a landmark period in the city's history, including the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2017 Manchester Arena attack. At the 4 March hearing, Suweidi had reportedly told the judges: "I know that what I'm going to say may cost my life but I deny the charges and I ask the court to protect my life and the life of my family.". "When a prospective takeover is from overseas we confirm that those involved are legally permitted to invest in this country," a Premier League spokesman said, "and, when appropriate, seek the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.". Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The allegations against Mr Burke were brought to light by a town hall whistleblower. Only last month HMRC revealed that it was investigating the tax payments of 171 players, 44 clubs and 31 agents. The city has improved since the 80s but were slipping back. Last summer, after the number of people arrested had grown to over 50, the official Emirates News Agency stated that the security services' investigation revealed that those arrested had "set up links with external elements, and had worked in an organised and systematic manner, causing harm to the country and spreading false information, in order to incite others against the country and to distort its shining image before the world". The police are also investigating after the case was referred to them by council chiefs. But this is not a Tory takeover its a team of civil servants.. Fernandinho, 30m from Shakhtar Donetsk, Jess Navas, 15m from Sevilla, Stevan Jovetic, 22m from Fiorentina and Alvaro Negredo, 20m, also from Sevilla, have been assembled to renew Sheikh Mansour's intentions for City to achieve Premier League and European success. He has been suspended while a full investigation is carried out. Global Edition. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. A club transformed by lavish investment in part to promote the emirate of Abu Dhabi on the world stage is damaged by deceptions in the. A council chief has been sacked following an investigation into alleged corruption. Federal investigators have implicated much of Detroit's city hall in a corruption probe involving council members and their staffs. Amnesty and HRW said "local activists believe a forced confession from Suweidi forms the basis of the prosecution's case in the trial". What is not yet fully known is how much of this Uefa was already aware of, and how much it really cares. "The mistreatment described in the letters is consistent with other allegations of torture at UAE state security facilities," the statement said, "and indicates that torture is a systematic practice at these facilities". In November, David Cameron flew to Dubai, seeking to persuade the UAE government to buy 60 Typhoon fighters from UK companies in a deal reckoned to be worth 3bn. It is showing the world the true essence of what Abu Dhabi is about. Others however, may not find it quite so easy to excuse a controversy that is rapidly becoming one of the most serious in the decade of Abu-Dhabi ownership at City, and which threatens to cast a shadow over the dominant force in English football. The state security apparatus can be very ugly, so people are really afraid to say anything.". There is absolutely no suggestion that GB Building Solutions are complicit in any way. The petition expressed profound respect for Khalifa and the Federal Supreme Council, the law-making organ of state run by the seven emirates' ruling families. Creating a new men's skincare product leads to a sticky situation in Lord Sugar's boardroom With their team the reigning Premier League champions, top of the league, and known for playing some of the best football that the English game has seen, most City supporters will refuse to allow, allegations that their club deceived Uefa. 5 0 obj It is also aware of the hypocrisy that exists in football, mindful of the fact that Real Madrid was one of seven Spanish clubs ordered to repay tens of millions of euros of state aid in 2016 after the European Commission ruled that preferential loans to the clubs and deals on tax and property constituted illegal government help. Glittering drama based on the audacious Brinks-Mat security depot heist, A corrupt copper and a Leeds gangster are bound together by decades of dishonesty. Man United were heavily linked with a move for Dutch attacker Cody Gakpo prior to his move to Liverpool in January. Theyre toxic, even today. He has never stood for office before, and is standing as an independent candidate, but even his rivals think he stands a good chance. Council bosses handed a file to police after the allegations surfaced last year. Kavanagh, his former regeneration chief, has said he had always acted within the rules and would defend his innocence. Extent of Manchester City's corruption revealed in the full UEFA judgement - Etihad renegotiated deal four times despite being tied to club for 10 years Posted by Biscan's Boots 2 years ago. VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. The Cunard building, on the Liverpool waterfront, is home to the city councils administration. A council chief has been sacked following an investigation into alleged corruption. Football's complex balance of power, politics and money may be approaching a tipping point. The government has repeatedly acknowledged the criticisms, and says: "Sweeping reforms aimed at improving working conditions and worker rights reflect the UAE's commitment to treat all guest workers with dignity and respect.". Clubs that are backed these days not just by private investors, but by the rulers of entire petro-states, armed with sovereign wealth funds. The two great Manchester football clubs emerged from this industrial tumult and social progress; United formed with the approval of employers at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1878, City two years later by Anna Connell, vicar's daughter at St Mark's church, Gorton, part of an effort to provide some decent recreation in the toughest of neighbourhoods. The former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman proposed including in the sports authorities' "fit and proper person test" for club owners consideration of HRW's human rights reports by country. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Man, 37, found dead inside car as police cordon off area near cemetery, Eye witnesses described seeing a heavy police and emergency service response in the area, 'I left school in Salford at 16 - now I'm a millionaire with a Lamborghini and a Cheshire mansion', 'I get called the queen of aesthetics - that's because I am', Hundreds flock to be 'part of history' as new 53million road which residents have campaigned for decades opens, You'll have to wait a little while longer to drive down it though, The one-off DWP payments that will arrive in March, The government is offering several forms of support for struggling households amid the cost of living crisis, Real life of ITV Coronation Street's Paul Foreman actor Peter Ash - Emmerdale star relation, rarely seen girlfriend, and first big role with Corrie co-star, Peter started regularly appearing in the ITV soap in January 2019 when Paul arrived in Weatherfield looking for his sister, Gemma, 'No one told me it wasn't normal to be hospitalised for period pains. Although the focus has centred on the intervention of Whitehall commissioners, one of the most politically significant elements of the governments proposal has been overlooked: within two years, only one councillor will represent each of the citys 30 wards. So far the claims of financial malpractice fall into two broad categories; firstly, that sponsorship deals were artificially inflated and not valued fairly or independent (as City previously insisted), with tens of millions of pounds thought to have been paid by commercial partners, actually coming directly and discreetly from the club's owner. Home. in 2016 after the European Commission ruled that preferential loans to the clubs and deals on tax and property constituted illegal government help. 0:00. He pointed to "gradual" reforms including "limited" elections of the Federal National Council, a consultative body, of which half the members are selected by the regime, half elected by a minority of the Emirati population. The Abu Dhabi cash and Mubarak's and his other executives' business expertise are transforming not only Manchester City but the stadium that was built with 127m lottery and local council money for the 2002 Commonwealth Games as a means of regenerating east Manchester. These examples are entirely unrelated to Der Spiegel's current revelations, but it is increasingly hard to be shocked when it comes to football and money. It is understood that questions have been raised over Mr Burke's dealings with subcontractors working on the projects which were both contracted to a firm called GB Building Solutions. t was a devastating indictment of one of Britains most powerful councils: a rotten culture of dubious contracts and backroom bullying, where staff were silenced and official records dumped in skips. Something went wrong, please try again later. Sheikh Zayed, who died in 2004, was widely revered as a visionary, planning Abu Dhabi's super-fast development after the oil riches transformed the country from the 1960s, while retaining traditional Sunni Muslim values. Former Councilmen Jose Huizar and Mark Ridley-Thomas face criminal charges for racketeering and bribery, respectively. Everybody will be lifted up if we all aim for equality: Hundreds line the streets in the city centre for Manchester's annual Walk for Women, The march is one of many taking place across the UK for International Women's Day, Emotional scenes at Etihad as Man City fans and Phil Foden pay tribute to tragic Milly-Rose, 6, who died suddenly, The emotional display happened during the sixth minute of Manchester City vs Newcastle, 'We ditched our corporate jobs for life on a narrowboat with our baby - we've never been happier', Despite earning a sixth of their previous income, Joanna and Victor Gould are loving the slower pace of life, We took Jay Rayner for lunch at one his favourite Manchester restaurants - heres what he had to say about the citys food, We sat down for lunch with the acclaimed food critic ahead of his show 'Jazz Up the 80s with the Jay Rayner Sextet' at Manchester's Albert Hall, 'School banned my business when I was 12. Beth Abbit, editor of the M.E.N's Mancunian Way newsletter, puts readers to the test, Tragedy as woman, 31, dies on way home from work as nightclub shot girl, Kelsey Stuttard, from Cheadle, suffered catastrophic injuries in the 3am smash, 'Hold my hands up' - Graeme Souness admits he got it wrong about Manchester United star Lisandro Martinez, The Argentinian was picked apart following defeat at Brentford but has since been a revelation in red, 'I witnessed my first murder aged 11 and I was stabbed and left for dead - now I fight gang culture', Mark, from Moss Side, became a victim himself after leaving prison for armed robbery. The major northern football clubs have flourished on pay TV after so much industry collapsed around them but the Premier League's economics are such that clubs, Arsenal in the Emirates Stadium apart, struggle to compete against Manchester United's dominant wealth without a billionaire's backing. The Emirati population, which numbers around one million, are still considered by commentators to be largely content, particularly given the country's stability in a Middle East in turmoil and civil war elsewhere. We along with others, have made clear our concerns about allegations of torture and mistreatment, and some aspects of the way the trial was conducted, such as lack of access to international observers, accusations that defendants could not access their lawyers, and the length of the sentencing.". You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, 'No one told me it wasn't normal to be hospitalised for period pains. The human rights organisations called on the UAE authorities to provide independent medical examinations of the detainees who claimed to have been tortured, exclude from the proceedings any evidence obtained by torture, and carry out a prompt investigation. They were understood to include the 14m Bow Street site in Moss Side, along with a 6m school renovation project at Southern Cross primary in Chorlton. As reported in the M.E.N. He was knighted in 2006, a year before Manchester International Festival was established to showcase new works by artists from across the world. Sir Richard Leese: Manchester City Council boss to quit after 25 years 8 September 2021 Getty Images Sir Richard Leese was elected to the city council in 1984 The leader of Manchester City. There is almost a personification of the values we hold as Abu Dhabi, with the values of the club and the values we would like to stick to. The allegations were brought to light by a town hall whistleblower. Mr Burnham said Greater Manchester was "immeasurably stronger" and Sir Richard had "been at the heart of that". Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Manchester City Council is facing a 153m budget shortfall over the next three years, councillors have heard. Something went wrong, please try again later. Report of: Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer / Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management Summary It is the role of the Audit Committee "to obtain assurance over the Council's corporate governance and risk management arrangements, the control environment and associated anti-fraud and anti-corruption arrangements". "There is insufficient evidence that a multiparty system works in the Arab world," Gargashsaid. The City Council's constitution describes the four basic elements through which the council operates: the Council, the Executive, Overview and Scrutiny, and the Committees. Zayed distributed wealth to the wider population and, although democracy has always been outlawed, he famously talked of gradually introducing voting rights: "Moving towards a parliamentary, integrated and comprehensive system in a society liberated from fear.". Amnesty and HRW have stated that they believe torture is "a systematic practice" in Abu Dhabi and UAE state security jails, and that complaints that these men were tortured, including to extract confessions, have not been investigated. Then, on Thursday, Alexander Sittenfeld became the third member of the City Council charged with corruption when he was arrested at home and charged with taking $40,000 in bribes while. The police investigation into the case is still ongoing. With their team the reigning Premier League champions, top of the league, and known for playing some of the best football that the English game has seen, most City supporters will refuse to allow allegations that their club deceived Uefa over financial fair play (FFP) rules to detract from pride in their club. Littleborough community choir, Chorley Old Road closed after car crashes into electrical box, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. An officer has been suspended while we carry out our investigation. Three former officials at the Manchester Municipal Corporation and two of their co-accused have been convicted for their roles in a fraud scheme that fleeced the local government authority approximately $400 million. A spokesman for GB Group, said: As soon as we were informed of Terry Burkes suspension, we offered to assist Manchester council with their investigation. Sir Richard Leese, who will leave the post on 1 December, said the decision reflected his "personal priorities for the next few years". has learned. No. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? It made me cry when I read the report, said Jayne Casey, one of the citys most influential cultural figures. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Manchester City are under investigation for alleged financial fair play breaches The inquest began in 2018 when Football Leaks exposed alleged wrongdoings The hacker involved in the leak is. In huge whiteletters on a sky blue background, it says: "MANCHESTER THANKS YOU, SHEIKH MANSOUR. ", On 17 July, Katherine Dine, a British government official, wrote to Rori Donaghy, campaign manager at the UK-based Emirates Centre for Human Rights, which is pressing the case of the convicted. Pastor, who says he is innocent and refuses to quit council, is charged with 10 felony counts, including bribery, extortion, money laundering and wire fraud in two pay-to-play schemes. Yip, a former Labour member who left the party 20 years ago, said he had been shocked by the lack of contrition this week from some of those leading the council over the past five years: Has one of them had the decency to hold their hands up and say sorry?