Burnham faces PMQs grilling on Russia and Manchester City before Zelensky talks
Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced the first PMQs since conference season over Russian interference claims and Manchester City, then prepared to meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced the first Prime Minister's Questions in more than a month, returning after the party conference season to questions on Russian interference claims, Manchester City and the benefit bill. The session came ahead of a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street.
Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch used the exchanges to argue that Burnham had had a rocky few weeks. She said he had 'bumbled into a row with Manchester City' and was trying to backtrack on allegations he had made about Russian interference in the EU referendum. She also accused him of having a habit of putting his foot in his mouth.
Burnham responded by doubling down on his Russian interference claims. On Manchester City, he said he had been transparent in his dealings with the club. It emerged today that he had held two dinners with the Manchester City chairman, in 2017 and 2018.
The most topical question came from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey. He asked whether Burnham agreed that this was 'yet another shameful Trump betrayal of the Ukrainian people and European security', referring to President Trump and a deal with President Putin to buy Russian diesel. Burnham did not condemn Trump. He said his role required him to try to repair bridges, to be careful about laying the ground to bring people back together, and that this was the right role for him at this moment.
Burnham said he wanted to listen to President Zelensky carefully, adding that Zelensky would not leave Britain empty-handed. The Downing Street meeting was intended to show symbolic support for Ukraine, which Burnham described as being in a difficult and dark place. It would also have substance: Burnham planned to announce faster delivery of surface-to-air missiles effective against Russian drones, which he said would do more to protect Ukraine as it faces a difficult winter.
The meeting was seen as important for getting the relationship back on track, with people relying on high-level discussions to keep them safe.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Andy Burnham planned to use the Zelensky meeting to announce faster delivery of surface-to-air missiles. | |
| Kemi Badenoch accused Andy Burnham of getting into a row with Manchester City and trying to backtrack on Russian interference allegations. | |
| Prime Minister's Questions took place for the first time in over a month. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The BBC's Westminster coverage led on the first PMQs in over a month, framing it around Kemi Badenoch's attacks on Burnham over Manchester City and Russian interference claims. It also gave prominence to Sir Ed Davey's question on Trump and Ukraine, then detailed the Zelensky meeting and the planned missile announcement. The tone was neutral and analysis-led, with a political correspondent guiding viewers through the exchanges.
- “She suggested, in her words, that he'd bumbled into a row with Manchester City and that he was trying to backtrack on allegations he'd made about Russian interference in the EU referendum and said he'd basically got a habit of putting his foot in his mouth.”
- “I want to listen to President Zelensky carefully, but he won't be going away from Britain today empty-handed.”
- “He will use this as an opportunity to announce the speeding up of the delivery of surface-to-air missiles which are effective against Russian drones, in which he says will do more to protect Ukraine as they face a difficult winter.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.