Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces backlash after claiming the UK has been ‘colonised by immigrants’ during a Sky News interview. Ratcliffe, who acquired a minority stake in the club in late 2023 through his INEOS group, called for politicians to take bold action on immigration and welfare.
Ratcliffe’s Remarks on Economy and Immigration
Ratcliffe argues that the economy cannot sustain nine million people on benefits alongside high immigration levels. He states: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK is being colonised. It’s costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants.”
He adds that addressing immigration and benefit dependency requires unpopular measures and political courage: “If you really want to deal with the major issues of immigration, with people opting to take benefits rather than working for a living, if you want to deal with that, then you are going to have to do some things which are unpopular and show some courage.”
Accusations of Hypocrisy and Myths
Ged Grebby, chief executive of Show Racism the Red Card, condemns the comments as hypocritical, noting Ratcliffe’s residence in Monaco as a tax exile. Grebby highlights that most immigrants are young workers contributing to the economy. He says: “Analysis shows that the vast majority of immigrants are young people who work and contribute to the economy because they want to make a better life for themselves. So his views on that are nonsense. He is perpetuating the myths about immigration; you just have to look at the NHS and social services to see how much immigrants contribute to the UK economy.”
Grebby contrasts Ratcliffe’s stance with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, stating: “I know that Sir Alex Ferguson would say the exact opposite, he knows how much immigrants have contributed to life here.” He praises Manchester United as one of the best clubs in combating racism through organizations like Unison.
Official Statement from Show Racism the Red Card
The organization es deep concern over Ratcliffe’s use of ‘colonised’ language, which it says echoes narratives stigmatizing migrants and fueling division. The statement reads: “Language of this kind echoes narratives that have historically been used to stigmatise migrant communities, fuel division, and legitimise hostility toward minority groups.”
It emphasizes Britain’s diversity shaped by migration and urges leaders to promote inclusion: “At a time when hate crime is rising and communities are feeling increasingly unsafe, public figures must recognise the weight and consequences of their words. Framing that diversity as ‘colonization’ is reinforcing harmful stereotypes and emboldening those who seek to divide rather than unite.”
The group calls on football clubs, with their global player rosters, to challenge racism and foster community harmony: “We are tackling racism in all its forms and promoting a society where everyone feels they belong.”
