Sir Jim Ratcliffe apologises for claiming immigrants had 'colonised' the UK

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has apologised over his claims immigrants had “colonised” the UK.

“I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

But the Ineos boss added it was “important to raise the issue” of controlled immigration.

Sir Jim told Sky News on Wednesday that the UK had been “colonised” by immigrants, as well as wrongly stating the population had risen by 12 million people since 2020.

In a statement, Sir Jim said: “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.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had called for an apology from the Manchester United owner, while Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the comments as “inaccurate, insulting and inflammatory”.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney also criticised the remarks.

“I disagree fundamentally with Jim Ratcliffe about these comments – I think the United Kingdom and Scotland have benefitted from migration,” he said.

“People have come to live here, to contribute to our economy, and they are welcome.

“Scotland faces particular challenges about the size of our working-age population, so we need to attract a larger working-age population.

“Morally and philosophically, I disagree with Jim Ratcliffe, and economically I disagree with him, because migration helps to boost our economy, and that’s a good thing for our country.”

Sir Jim bought a minority share in Manchester United in late 2023 and his Ineos group has since taken control of football operations.

The billionaire has presided over a variety of contentious changes since becoming part of the ownership, with ticket pricing and availability causing particular anger among United fans.

Sir Jim’s Ineos was a joint partner with PetroChina in the Grangemouth oil refinery which closed its doors last year despite protests from both the UK and Scottish governments and trade unions.