Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has ‘alarmed’ the dressing room at Old Trafford following his controversial comments claiming that Great Britain is being ‘colonised by immigrants’
Several Manchester United stars have been left concerned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments about immigration, during which he claimed the UK was facing ‘colonisation’.
The United co-owner made headlines on Wednesday after criticising Britain’s immigration levels whilst making incorrect claims about population figures. The 73-year-old billionaire continues to face criticism and issued an apology about his choice of language, but he remained firm on his immigration concerns.
Among those slamming the tycoon were Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, numerous United fan organisations, and anti-racism campaign groups. United also issued a public statement on Thursday.
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The club expressed their commitment to being an inclusive organisation with a ‘diverse group of players’ – though notably failed to reference Ratcliffe directly.
According to the Mail, members of United’s squad, which has no fewer than 17 international players, have been left ‘alarmed’ by his remarks. One insider cautioned that Ratcliffe’s belief wouldn’t resonate well with the playing staff, whilst another dressing room source branded him as being ‘out of touch’.
Ratcliffe’s controversial statements emerged during a Sky News interview at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp.
“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” the INEOS chief executive said. “I mean, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn’t it?”
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Ratcliffe then made an erroneous claim: “I mean, the population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it’s 70 million. That’s 12 million people.” A statement which doesn’t align with official figures.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that the UK population stood at 67 million in mid-2020 and reached 70 million by mid-2024. The last time the population was around 58 million was back in 2000.
Ratcliffe, who resides in the tax haven of Monaco, later issued an apology: “I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern, but it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth.
“My comments were made while answering questions about UK policy at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, where I was discussing the importance of economic growth, jobs, skills and manufacturing in the UK.
“My intention was to stress that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs so that long-term prosperity is shared by everyone. It is critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK.”