Manchester United Owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe Claims the UK is Overrun by Immigrants

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the co-owner of Manchester United, has drawn significant attention for declaring that the UK has been 'colonised by immigrants.' He further suggested that Prime Minister Keir Starmer might be 'too nice' to tackle the pressing issues the nation faces.

In an interview with Sky News, the founder of INEOS asserted that the British economy cannot cope with the high influx of immigrants while a considerable number of individuals are on welfare.

'Having nine million people on benefits alongside large numbers of immigrants simply isn't viable,' Ratcliffe stated. 'The UK has been colonised. It's costing too much money.'

He noted that the UK population, which stood at 58 million in 2020, has surged to 70 million, highlighting an increase of 12 million people.

However, data from the Office for National Statistics indicates that the UK's population was approximately 67 million in mid-2020 and is expected to reach 70 million by mid-2024. In the year 2000, the figure was around 58.9 million.

Ratcliffe emphasized the necessity for the Prime Minister to make tough and possibly unpopular decisions to alleviate the economic and social difficulties.

'I believe it takes someone unafraid to make unpopular choices for a time to address the significant concerns,' he observed, acknowledging that while Starmer possesses admirable qualities, he faces an arduous task.

He described Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, as an 'intelligent' individual 'with good intentions,' but implied that Starmer shares similar attributes.

A supporter of Brexit, Ratcliffe has previously been critical of successive Conservative administrations for their handling of immigration policies, claiming they failed to lower net migration following the UK's exit from the European Union. In this recent interview, he remarked that the outcomes of Brexit did not align with public expectations, particularly noting that the 2016 referendum campaign was heavily focused on immigration.

His remarks coincide with increased scrutiny of migration statistics. Recent government reports reveal that tens of thousands of migrants have entered the UK in recent months, including many who crossed the Channel in small boats. The figures for January were lower than in previous years, attributed largely to severe winter weather conditions.

Additionally, Ratcliffe condemned the overall economic strategies, urging the need for the country to be ‘sharper on the business front’ and to focus on competitive energy costs as a means to stimulate growth.