‘Hypocrite’ Sir Jim Ratcliffe skewered over immigration rant | Football | Sport

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been accused of ‘perpetuating myths’ about immigration following his claim that ‘the UK has been colonised by immigrants’. Sir Jim acquired a minority stake in Manchester United in late 2023, with his INEOS group subsequently assuming control of football operations.

However, during an interview with Sky News broadcast on Wednesday evening, the United supremo suggested that politicians must ‘do some difficult things with the UK to get it back on track’. He stated: “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 continued: “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.”

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Responding to Sir Jim’s remarks, Ged Grebby, chief executive of Show Racism the Red Card, said that legendary United boss Sir Alex Ferguson would never make such a hypocritical statement.

He said: “I couldn’t agree more with the people who have commented on the hypocrisy of these remarks, coming from a man who lives in Monaco as a tax exile.

“And then there is the ignorance of his views on immigration. 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.

“It is frustrating; for ‘Show Racism the Red Card’, Manchester United are one of the best clubs. Yet we have the owner making cheap remarks like this.

“I know that Sir Alex Ferguson would say the exact opposite, he knows how much immigrants have contributed to life here. Unison is doing important work on migrant labour, as they have contributed to a big increase in their membership.”

In a statement, Show Racism the Red Card added: “We are deeply concerned by the comments by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, suggesting that the United Kingdom is being ‘colonised’.

“Language of this kind echoes narratives that have historically been used to stigmatise migrant communities, fuel division, and legitimise hostility toward minority groups.

“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.

“Britain is a diverse society shaped by migration. Framing that diversity as “colonisation” is reinforcing harmful stereotypes and emboldening those who seek to divide rather than unite. We urge all leaders in sport, business, and public life to choose language that promotes inclusion, respect, and social cohesion.

“Football clubs and their leadership hold enormous cultural influence. Their teams are full of players from countries all over the globe, who are heroes to true supporters. Club influence should be used to challenge racism, not inadvertently amplify narratives that undermine community harmony. We are tackling racism in all its forms and promoting a society where everyone feels they belong.”

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