Jim Ratcliffe Apologises After 'Colonised by Immigrants' Claim Sparks Cross-Party Condemnation

Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe was forced into a heavily qualified apology on Thursday after his claim that the United Kingdom is being "colonised" by immigrants triggered condemnation from across the political spectrum, the football community and anti-racism campaigners Minister escalates row with ‘hypocritical’ Ratcliffe over claim UK colonised by immigrants – politics livetheguardian.com·SecondaryGood morning. As Joe Coughlan and Rob Davies report, last night Downing Street said that said the Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. Although Ratcliffe’s claim that the UK population had increased by 12m over the past five years was shockingly and absurdly inaccurate, it was still moderately surprising that Downing Street criticised Ratcliffe so quickly and so explicitly..

The controversy erupted during a Sky News interview at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp on Wednesday evening, where Ratcliffe — Britain's seventh-richest person, who relocated his tax domicile from Hampshire to Monaco in 2020 — took aim at immigration levels and people receiving state benefits. "You can't have an economy with 9 million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in," Ratcliffe said. "The UK is being colonised by immigrants, really, isn't it? I mean, the population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it's 70 million. That's 12 million people" UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants..

The claim was factually incorrect. Office for National Statistics data shows the UK population was approximately 67 million in 2020, not 58 million. The figure of 58 million has not been accurate since around the year 2000 — making Ratcliffe's statistics roughly two decades out of date UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants..

Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded swiftly on social media, calling the comments "offensive and wrong" and demanding an apology. A Downing Street spokesperson said Ratcliffe's remarks "play into the hands of those who want to divide our country" . On Thursday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves described the remarks as "disgusting" UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants..

Justice minister Jake Richards escalated the government's response on Thursday morning, accusing Ratcliffe of hypocrisy. "This man who moved to Monaco to save four billion pounds in tax is now lecturing us about immigration," Richards told Times Radio. "There's something that I find slightly hypocritical about that" Minister escalates row with ‘hypocritical’ Ratcliffe over claim UK colonised by immigrants – politics livetheguardian.com·SecondaryGood morning. As Joe Coughlan and Rob Davies report, last night Downing Street said that said the Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. Although Ratcliffe’s claim that the UK population had increased by 12m over the past five years was shockingly and absurdly inaccurate, it was still moderately surprising that Downing Street criticised Ratcliffe so quickly and so explicitly.. Richards added that it was "completely absurd to think that our country is being colonised, which implies some kind of invasion" Minister escalates row with ‘hypocritical’ Ratcliffe over claim UK colonised by immigrants – politics livetheguardian.com·SecondaryGood morning. As Joe Coughlan and Rob Davies report, last night Downing Street said that said the Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. Although Ratcliffe’s claim that the UK population had increased by 12m over the past five years was shockingly and absurdly inaccurate, it was still moderately surprising that Downing Street criticised Ratcliffe so quickly and so explicitly..

Critics also noted the tension between Ratcliffe's criticism of people "costing too much" and the fact that his loss-making Ineos chemicals company had recently received a 120 million pound government grant to protect 500 jobs UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants..

The response from the political right was more sympathetic. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Ratcliffe was "right", adding that "the country has undergone unprecedented mass immigration that has changed the character of many areas" UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants.. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride called the term "pejorative" but said Ratcliffe was "referencing something that is of great concern to millions of people" UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants..

Ratcliffe's apology, issued on Thursday, stopped well short of retracting his underlying sentiments. He said he was "sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern," adding that it was "important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth" UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants.. Starmer's spokesperson welcomed the apology but maintained the original comments were "offensive and wrong" as well as "inflammatory and divisive" UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants..

Perhaps the most striking rebuke came from within Ratcliffe's own football empire. Just hours after his apology, Manchester United released a statement — without naming Ratcliffe — affirming the club's commitment to "equality, diversity and inclusion" and describing itself as "inclusive and welcoming." The statement noted that the club's "diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home" UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants..

The Football Association is now examining whether Ratcliffe's comments brought the game into disrepute, raising the prospect of formal disciplinary proceedings against the billionaire club co-owner UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’, says Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffetheguardian.com·SecondaryPM calls comments by Man United co-owner, who also hit out at people on benefits, ‘offensive and wrong’ Keir Starmer has said Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Britain’s seventh-richest man, who moved to tax-free Monaco in 2020, took aim at people receiving state support and immigrants..

The episode has exposed a fault line in British political debate over immigration. The speed and forcefulness of Downing Street's initial response was notable — particularly given that former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who had been among the most cautious voices in Number 10 on immigration messaging, departed his role just days earlier Minister escalates row with ‘hypocritical’ Ratcliffe over claim UK colonised by immigrants – politics livetheguardian.com·SecondaryGood morning. As Joe Coughlan and Rob Davies report, last night Downing Street said that said the Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for his comments that the UK is being “colonised” by immigrants. Although Ratcliffe’s claim that the UK population had increased by 12m over the past five years was shockingly and absurdly inaccurate, it was still moderately surprising that Downing Street criticised Ratcliffe so quickly and so explicitly.. Whether the Ratcliffe affair marks a genuine shift in Labour's willingness to confront anti-immigration rhetoric or proves to be an isolated response to an unusually clumsy provocation remains to be seen. What is clear is that Ratcliffe's combination of factual inaccuracy, inflammatory language and perceived hypocrisy — a Monaco-based tax exile lecturing Britain about who does and does not belong — made him a singularly unsympathetic messenger.