LONDON — Britain’s Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer has criticised comments made by billionaire Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe on immigration, describing them as “offensive and wrong” and calling for an apology.
The remarks, made during a News interview on Wednesday, have also drawn responses from government officials, political leaders, and supporters groups.
Sir Jim, 73, who founded the global chemical company Ineos, told Sky News that the United Kingdom had been “colonised by immigrants” and suggested Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was “too nice” to take unpopular measures necessary to stabilise the national economy.
He cited what he described as a growing population and high numbers of people receiving state benefits, linking these trends to broader economic challenges.
“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” Sir Jim told the broadcaster. “I mean, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn’t it? I mean, the population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it’s 70 million. That’s 12 million people.”
Sir Keir Starmer responded on Wednesday evening, asserting that Britain is “a proud, tolerant and diverse country”. A Downing Street spokesperson echoed the call, saying the comments “play into the hands of those who want to divide our country.”
The remarks were condemned by several Manchester United supporter groups.
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The Manchester United Supporters Trust said on social media platform X that “no fan should feel excluded from following or supporting the club because of their race, religion, nationality or background” and emphasised that leadership should foster inclusion rather than marginalisation.
The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club said it was “deeply concerned” by the use of the term “colonised,” noting that it “is not neutral” and “echoes language frequently used in far-right narratives that frame migrants as invaders and demographic threats.”
Anti-racism organisations also responded. Show Racism the Red Card. Said the cultural influence of football clubs “should be used to challenge racism, not inadvertently amplify narratives that undermine community harmony,” while Kick It Out the comments calling it “disgraceful and deeply divisive.”
The 1958 Group, a long-standing Manchester United supporters organisation, described the remarks as “very ill-advised” and criticised Sir Jim for commenting on UK domestic issues while living in Monaco, where he moved in 2020, reportedly to avoid personal income and capital gains taxes.
During the interview, Sir Jim drew parallels between his management of Manchester United and national governance.
Since acquiring a 27.7% stake in 2024, he has restructured the club, overseeing 450 redundancies, changes to senior management, and the dismissal of two managers.
“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,” he said, suggesting that similar fortitude was required at the national level.
Sir Jim also commented on political figures, noting he had recently met Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, whom he described as “an intelligent man” with “good intentions,” and made a comparative remark about Sir Keir. “I think it needs somebody who’s prepared to be unpopular for a period of time to get the big issues sorted out,” he said.
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Farage, responding to Sir Keir’s condemnation of Sir Jim’s remarks, posted on X that “Britain has undergone unprecedented mass immigration that has changed the character of many areas in our country.
Labour may try to ignore that but Reform won’t.” Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Sir Jim’s comments as “totally wrong” and “totally out of step with British values,” also calling for an apology.
Sir Jim’s business profile underscores his prominence in both the corporate and sporting spheres.
According to the Sunday Times Rich List, he was the seventh richest person in the UK in 2025, with a net worth of roughly £17 billion. Ineos, one of the world’s largest chemical firms, supplies raw materials used in packaging for food, medicine, and consumer products, as well as components for electronics and furniture.
In recent years, Sir Jim’s investments have expanded beyond chemicals, including the discontinued development of a new vehicle based on the Land Rover Defender and the acquisition of luxury motorcycle wear brand Belstaff.
The interview took place on the sidelines of the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, Belgium, where Sky News’ economic editor Ed Conway spoke with Sir Jim about economic policy, corporate responsibility, and broader population trends.
The BBC has contacted Ineos and Manchester United for comment regarding the remarks. The debate over Sir Jim’s statements comes amid ongoing discussions in the UK about immigration, social welfare, and economic growth.
Official data and independent analyses continue to inform the public discourse, while political leaders and public figures respond to statements perceived as controversial.
