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Starmer condemns Ratcliffe's immigration comments
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has sharply criticized Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe for describing Britain as "colonised by immigrants," calling the remarks "offensive and wrong." The billionaire industrialist made the comments during an interview with Sky News on Wednesday.
Ratcliffe's controversial claims
Speaking on the sidelines of the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, Ratcliffe argued that mass immigration and welfare dependency were destabilizing the UK economy. He stated, "You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK has been colonised."
Ratcliffe also cited incorrect population figures, claiming the UK's population had grown from 58 million in 2020 to 70 million. Official data from the Office for National Statistics shows the actual mid-2025 estimate at 69.4 million, up from 66.7 million in mid-2020.
Political and public backlash
Starmer responded by defending Britain as "a proud, tolerant and diverse country" and demanded an apology. A Downing Street spokesperson added that the comments "play into the hands of those who want to divide our country."
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, however, defended Ratcliffe's broader point, tweeting that "Britain has undergone unprecedented mass immigration that has changed the character of many areas." Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called the remarks "totally wrong" and "out of step with British values." Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said they "go against everything for which Manchester has traditionally stood."
Football community reacts
Fan groups, including the Manchester United Supporters Trust, condemned the comments, stating they risked alienating supporters. The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club said the language "echoes far-right narratives framing migrants as invaders." Anti-racism organizations Show Racism the Red Card and Kick It Out also criticized the remarks as divisive.
"No fan should feel excluded because of their race, religion, nationality or background. Comments from the club's senior leadership should make inclusion easier, not harder."
Manchester United Supporters Trust
Ratcliffe's leadership style
The 73-year-old, who acquired a 27.7% stake in Manchester United in 2024, compared running the country to managing the football club. He argued that tough, unpopular decisions-such as the 450 redundancies and managerial changes at United-were necessary to address "big issues" like immigration and welfare.
Ratcliffe, who reportedly moved to Monaco in 2020 for tax purposes, also praised Farage as "intelligent" but suggested Starmer shared similar intentions, albeit with a softer approach. He insisted the UK needed a leader willing to "be unpopular for a period of time" to enact reforms.
Business background
Ratcliffe, ranked the UK's seventh-richest person in 2025 with a £17 billion fortune, founded Ineos, a global chemicals giant. His business interests have diversified in recent years, including ventures into luxury motorcycle apparel and a discontinued plan to build a Land Rover Defender-inspired vehicle.
