UK PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for saying the UK has been “colonised by immigrants”, branding the comments “offensive and wrong”.
The condemnation came hours after Ratcliffe made the remarks in a television interview in which he suggested “huge levels of immigration” to the UK had harmed the economy.
“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” Monaco-based Ratcliffe told Britain’s Sky News.
“I mean, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money,” he said, repeating: “The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn’t it?”
Ratcliffe went on to cite erroneous statistics that the UK population was 58 million in 2020 and that “now it’s 70 million”.
Population estimates by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the country’s population was in fact 67 million in mid-2020 and just under 70 million in mid-2024.
The UK population climbed above 58 million between 1994 and 1995, more than three decades ago, according to ONS data.
Within hours of Ratcliffe’s remarks being reported, Starmer had taken to X to hit back.
“Offensive and wrong,” he posted, linking to the Sky News story.
Advertisement
“Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country. Jim Ratcliffe should apologise.”
A spokesman for Starmer’s Downing Street office added that Ratcliffe’s remarks “play into the hands of those who want to divide our country”.
Meanwhile, Ratcliffe has admitted some of the decisions he has taken at Manchester United made him “very unpopular”, but says they are now paying off.
The 73-year-old made a string of controversial cuts at Old Trafford since acquiring a stake in the club two years ago.
United have also sacked two managers in that period, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, but under interim boss Michael Carrick, they have won four and drawn one to climb back into the Champions League spots.
Ratcliffe, the founder of the Ineos chemicals group, was speaking to Sky News about politicians having to make unpopular calls to “get the big issues sorted out”.
Referring to United, he said: “I’ve seen quite a bit of this at the football club.
“If you do difficult things, which we felt that we had to do at Manchester United… we felt like they were the right things to do. But you do become very unpopular for a while.
“Well, I’ve been very unpopular at Manchester United because we’ve made lots of changes. But for the better, in my view.
“And I think we’re beginning to see some evidence in the football club that that’s beginning to pay off.”
Jim Ratcliffe, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
On the pitch, Benjamin Sesko believes his rescue act at West Ham proves United have the stomach for the fight for a Champions League place.
Sesko came on as a 69th-minute substitute at the London Stadium with his side trailing to Tomas Soucek’s goal just after half-time.
But, with 96 minutes on the clock, Bryan Mbeumo swung in a cross and Sesko stuck out a toe to score an amazing volley and snatch a 1-1 draw.
“It was just one of those games that was not going to be that easy, especially since they were stepping back, they were really compact, they were trying to go for the counter-attacks,” the Slovenian striker told MUTV.
“It’s just something that we have to learn from. I think everyone wanted it, everyone was trying to win the game, to score, to fight for each other.
“Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, but at least we got a draw, which is important in the end.
“I felt amazing because at least I knew that, once again, I could help the team by trying to secure at least one point.
“It’s a great feeling for me as well, knowing that I can help the team in all kinds of moments. Obviously, without my teammates, I couldn’t do it. So I’m looking forward to more moments like this.”
Sesko added, “We are living for each other. We are doing everything to win the games, to secure the Champions League spot because we believe that we have the team for it.
“We have the quality, and yeah, we’re going to fight towards it. Unfortunately, the game was like it was. We have to now look forward to the next game and try to win it.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
44 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Starmer demands Man United co-owner Ratcliffe apologise for immigration comments
Updated at 22.09
UK PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for saying the UK has been “colonised by immigrants”, branding the comments “offensive and wrong”.
The condemnation came hours after Ratcliffe made the remarks in a television interview in which he suggested “huge levels of immigration” to the UK had harmed the economy.
“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” Monaco-based Ratcliffe told Britain’s Sky News.
“I mean, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money,” he said, repeating: “The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn’t it?”
Ratcliffe went on to cite erroneous statistics that the UK population was 58 million in 2020 and that “now it’s 70 million”.
Population estimates by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the country’s population was in fact 67 million in mid-2020 and just under 70 million in mid-2024.
The UK population climbed above 58 million between 1994 and 1995, more than three decades ago, according to ONS data.
Within hours of Ratcliffe’s remarks being reported, Starmer had taken to X to hit back.
“Offensive and wrong,” he posted, linking to the Sky News story.
“Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country. Jim Ratcliffe should apologise.”
A spokesman for Starmer’s Downing Street office added that Ratcliffe’s remarks “play into the hands of those who want to divide our country”.
Meanwhile, Ratcliffe has admitted some of the decisions he has taken at Manchester United made him “very unpopular”, but says they are now paying off.
The 73-year-old made a string of controversial cuts at Old Trafford since acquiring a stake in the club two years ago.
United have also sacked two managers in that period, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, but under interim boss Michael Carrick, they have won four and drawn one to climb back into the Champions League spots.
Ratcliffe, the founder of the Ineos chemicals group, was speaking to Sky News about politicians having to make unpopular calls to “get the big issues sorted out”.
Referring to United, he said: “I’ve seen quite a bit of this at the football club.
“If you do difficult things, which we felt that we had to do at Manchester United… we felt like they were the right things to do. But you do become very unpopular for a while.
“Well, I’ve been very unpopular at Manchester United because we’ve made lots of changes. But for the better, in my view.
“And I think we’re beginning to see some evidence in the football club that that’s beginning to pay off.”
On the pitch, Benjamin Sesko believes his rescue act at West Ham proves United have the stomach for the fight for a Champions League place.
Sesko came on as a 69th-minute substitute at the London Stadium with his side trailing to Tomas Soucek’s goal just after half-time.
But, with 96 minutes on the clock, Bryan Mbeumo swung in a cross and Sesko stuck out a toe to score an amazing volley and snatch a 1-1 draw.
“It was just one of those games that was not going to be that easy, especially since they were stepping back, they were really compact, they were trying to go for the counter-attacks,” the Slovenian striker told MUTV.
“It’s just something that we have to learn from. I think everyone wanted it, everyone was trying to win the game, to score, to fight for each other.
“Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, but at least we got a draw, which is important in the end.
“I felt amazing because at least I knew that, once again, I could help the team by trying to secure at least one point.
“It’s a great feeling for me as well, knowing that I can help the team in all kinds of moments. Obviously, without my teammates, I couldn’t do it. So I’m looking forward to more moments like this.”
Sesko added, “We are living for each other. We are doing everything to win the games, to secure the Champions League spot because we believe that we have the team for it.
“We have the quality, and yeah, we’re going to fight towards it. Unfortunately, the game was like it was. We have to now look forward to the next game and try to win it.”
Additional reporting by Press Association
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Claim Controversy Football Ineos Jim Ratcliffe Soccer Manchester United