Sir Jim Ratcliffe claimed that the UK had been ‘colonised’ by immigrants, comments which the Manchester United co-owner later apologised for after suffering backlash
19:11, 01 Mar 2026Updated 19:39, 01 Mar 2026
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments sparked backlash(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
A group of Manchester United supporters held up a banner condemning Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s controversial comments on immigration. United part-owner Ratcliffe was criticised last month when he claimed that the UK had been ‘colonised’ by immigrants.
The Monaco-residing billionaire then used incorrect data to back up his point. After backlash from high-profile figures such as Sir Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham and Gary Lineker, Ratcliffe issued a mealy-mouth attempt of an apology.
But the 73-year-old continues to face criticism. In United’s first home game since Ratcliffe’s infamous Sky News interview, some fans made their feelings crystal clear.
A banner read: “MUFC proudly colonised by immigrants”. It pictured seven foreign players who’ve played for the club, namely France’s Eric Cantona and Patrice Evra, South Korea’s Park Ji-sung, Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes, Norway’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ivory Coast’s Amad and Brazil’s Casemiro.
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In the wake of Ratcliffe’s comments, United issued a statement on their website. “Manchester United prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club,” they said.
“Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home. Since launching All Red All Equal in 2016, we have embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do.
“We remain deeply committed to the principles and spirit of that campaign. They are reflected in our policies but also in our culture and are reinforced by our holding of the Premier League’s Advanced Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard. We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride.”
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Manchester United fans are proud of their foreign players(Image: Mark Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
Ratcliffe’s subsequent ‘apology’ went down badly. The founder and chief executive of petrochemicals conglomerate INEOS, who purchased a 27.94 per cent stake in United two years ago, stopped short of a full apology and defended the spirit of his comments.
“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,” Ratcliffe argued.
“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.”
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