The Prime Minister has condemned Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s “offensive and wrong” comments about immigration.
The Manchester United co-owner, who is one of Britain’s richest men but a resident of tax-exempt Monaco, told Sky News that Britain was “colonised” by immigrants who were exploiting state resources.
“You cannot create an economy in which 90 lakh people are benefiting and there are large numbers of immigrants coming in,” he said.
“I mean, Britain has been colonised. It’s costing a lot of money.
“The UK has really been colonised by immigrants, hasn’t it?”
Responding to the interview, Sir Keir Starmer said in a post on Twitter: “Offensive and wrong. Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country. Jim Ratcliffe should apologise.”
In 2024, Sir Jim and Sir Keir were seen playing a match. Photo: Reuters
Sir Jim, founder of the INEOS chemicals group, also claimed Sky Economics and Data Editor Ed Conway said immigration was expected to increase the country’s population from 58 million in 2020 to 70 million in 2026.
The Office for National Statistics estimates the UK population to be 67 million in mid-2020 and 70 million in mid-2024. In 2000 it was estimated at 58.9 million.
Sir Jim said the government needed a leader “prepared to be unpopular for a period” to address Britain’s issues, suggesting Sir Keir, who is “a good man,” may not be the right person for the top job.
He said he had recently met Nigel Farage, and he described him as “intelligent” with “good intentions.”
The Reform UK leader later backed down from his comments about immigration, telling Sky News, “There has been unprecedented large-scale immigration into the country which has changed the character of many areas of the country.
“Labour may try to ignore it, but Reform won’t do that.”
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Speaking before Sir Keir’s intervention, Sports Secretary Lisa Nandy told Matt Barbet on Sky Political Centre that immigration was very high, especially under Boris Johnson’s government.
But she said the government was investing in more opportunities for British youth and declared, “My father comes from an immigrant background. I want your audience to know that I’m really proud that Britain is a diverse and tolerant country that has been strengthened by waves of immigration.”
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‘Offensive and divisive’
Football and anti-racism groups have widely echoed the Prime Minister’s criticism.
The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club accused Sir Jim of risking “legitimising prejudice” and “deepening division,” adding that they were “deeply concerned” by his rhetoric.
“The term ‘colonised’ is not neutral. It echoes language often used in far-right narratives that cast migrants as invaders and demographic threats,” it said in a statement.
“This kind of rhetoric has real-world consequences,” it said, and it pointed out that United has “players, staff, and supporters of every background, faith, and ethnicity.”
Football’s anti-discrimination body Kick It Out branded Sir Jim’s comments “outrageous and deeply divisive at a time when football does so much to bring communities together”.
Its condemnation statement said, “This type of language and leadership has no place in English football, and we believe the majority of fans will feel the same way.”
Charity Show Racism: The Red Card also said it was “deeply concerned” by the comments and said public figures should use their platform “to challenge racism, not inadvertently amplify narratives that undermine community harmony.”
