Sir Jim Ratcliffe has apologised for “offending some people” with his language after saying the UK had been “colonised by immigrants”, but maintained an “open debate” on the matter was needed.
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The billionaire co-owner of Manchester United had faced criticism from Sir Keir Starmer, who called his comments to Sky News on Wednesday “offensive and wrong”.
On Thursday, 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.”
Sources have told BBC Sport that the FA is examining whether Ratcliffe’s comments brought the game into disrepute.
Should the FA formally investigate Ratcliffe’s comments and choose to charge the 73-year-old under its own rules, he could face further punishment.
His earlier comments had drawn criticism from Manchester United fan groups. He said: “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?”
He incorrectly claimed the population of the UK had risen by 12 million to 70 million people in the last five years. The Office for National Statistics estimates it has actually risen from 66.7 million to 69.4 million, an increase of less than three million.
A Downing Street spokesperson said it was “absolutely right” that Sir Jim had apologised for his language.
Reform UK leader previously pushed back against Sir Keir, saying: “Britain has undergone unprecedented mass immigration that has changed the character of many areas in our country.”
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said Sir Jim’s comments “go against everything for which Manchester has traditionally stood”.
Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest individuals, founded one of the world’s largest chemical companies, Ineos.
In 2020, he reportedly moved from the UK to Monaco, which does not collect personal income tax or capital gains taxes.
He acquired a 27.7% stake in Man Utd in 2024, and has since restructured the organisation, making 450 redundancies, overhauling senior management and sacking two managers.
He campaigned for a Leave vote in the 2016 European Union referendum.
Ahead of the 2024 general election, he told Bloomberg he had “had enough” of the Tories, putting his support instead behind Labour’s bid.
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