Revealed: Foreign Office Issued Guidance to UK Ambassador Following Manchester City's Guilty Verdict

Revealed: Foreign Office Issued Guidance to UK Ambassador Following Manchester City's Guilty Verdict How have Man City fans reacted to the club's guilty verdict? More Videos Newly-disclosed government emails have now revealed how senior government officials in London moved to manage the diplomatic response to Manchester City ’s financial rules verdict issued by the Premier League, with direct guidance sent to the UK’s ambassador in the United Arab Emirates in the hours after the ruling. While City supporters await news on the club’s appeal against more than 100 breaches and the prospective sporting sanctions that are still to come, the revealing of new documents offers another glimpse at how the British government is handling the political sensitivities around the club's Emirati owners. According to an investigation by ITV News , the emails were obtained under Freedom of Information laws and show just how quickly civil servants reached out to key diplomatic figures across the Gulf. Sent within hours of the verdict first being reported in September, the internal message, marked “official sensitive - HMG [His Majesty’s Government] only”, set out the government’s official “line to take” for diplomats and ministers. It was reportedly dispatched to the British ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Geraldine McCafferty, alongside Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty and senior staff at Downing Street, the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business and Trade. The email advised officials that the Premier League ruling was likely to generate significant public interest, while reiterating that the process is independent from the government. Civil servants were reportedly told to stress that the disciplinary process remains ongoing and that ministers have no involvement in any regulatory proceedings surrounding Manchester City . The document also reminded recipients of the club’s ownership structure under the City Football Group and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, underlining the need for political sensitivity due to major ongoing Gulf investment in the UK economy. The emails are another reminder that the general public are wary of a link between this legal battle and the United Kingdom's international relations. While Manchester City maintain their innocence and continue to appeal against the findings, more than a few observers have raised questions over how any sanctions might affect diplomatic ties between the UK and the UAE. The club’s punishment is still to be confirmed by an independent board and speculation over potential penalties is ongoing, while the arrival of the new Independent Football Regulator means that there are figures involved who do have the power to remove owners should the appeal fail.