Billionaire businessman and minority owner of Manchester United, Jim Ratcliffe, has issued an apology following backlash over comments he made about immigration during an appearance at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp.
According to BBC Sport, Ratcliffe released a statement on Thursday expressing regret that his wording had “offended some people” in the UK and across Europe.
While acknowledging the reaction, he insisted that open discussion about national challenges remains necessary.
The controversy stems from remarks made during a Sky News interview on Wednesday, where Ratcliffe criticised current economic and migration trends in the UK.
“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money.
“The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn’t it?”
His comments quickly drew widespread criticism, particularly as he cited inaccurate statistics to support his claims.
Senior political and civic leaders were among those who responded strongly. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the remarks as “offensive and wrong” and called on Ratcliffe to apologise.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, also denounced the statements, saying they were inconsistent with the inclusive values historically associated with Manchester.
The Manchester United Supporters Trust criticised Ratcliffe’s comments, arguing that individuals in senior leadership positions at the club should foster unity and inclusion rather than contribute to division.
In his subsequent statement, Ratcliffe said his comments were intended to focus on UK policy and the importance of strengthening economic growth, job creation, skills development and domestic manufacturing.
He clarified that his aim was to emphasise the need for migration policy to be balanced with investment in training and industry to ensure shared prosperity.
He concluded by reiterating, “We must maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK.”
What you should know
Sir Jim Ratcliffe faced significant backlash after describing the UK as being “colonised” by immigrants during a televised interview.
Political leaders, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, condemned the remarks as offensive, while Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and the Manchester United Supporters Trust also criticised the comments.
Ratcliffe later apologised for the language he used but defended the importance of open debate on economic and migration policy.
The incident has reignited discussion about public responsibility among high-profile business leaders, particularly those associated with major institutions like Manchester United.
