Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) and famous broadcaster Piers Morgan tore into INEOS founder and the club co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe after he said the “UK has been colonised” by immigrants. But those comments are sure to have an impact on the club and people associated with it.
Manchester United co-owner Ratcliffe made the explosive and divisive comments during an interview with Sky News’ Ed Conway.
Ratcliffe’s comments have also been denounced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called them “offensive and wrong,” adding that the 73-year-old businessman must “apologise” and that “Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country.”
Man United co-owner attacks immigrants in UK
One of Britain’s richest and most influential business personalities, Ratcliffe, who is now a resident of Monaco, said that the United Kingdom’s resources are being drained by immigrants
“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” Ratcliffe told Conway. “I mean, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money.
Manchester United part-owner has told @EdConwaySky the UK has been “colonised” by immigrants, who are draining resources from the state, as he warns of the country facing profound political, social and economic challenges.
🔗 https://t.co/bie6uFZ1Tp pic.twitter.com/qFpiO0HkfO
— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 11, 2026
“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.”
In retaliation, Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club said Ratcliffe’s statements were deeply concerning as they can “deepen” prejudice and division.
“We are deeply concerned by remarks describing the UK as having been ‘colonised’ by immigrants, and by positive references to political figures whose rhetoric on immigration and minority communities has long been divisive,” MUMSC said on X.
“The term ‘colonised’ is not neutral. It echoes the language frequently used in far-right narratives that frame migrants as invaders and demographic threats. Such rhetoric has real-world consequences.
“The UK has experienced sustained increases in hate crimes in recent years, including rises in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, racially motivated attacks and hostility toward migrants and people of colour.
🚨 MUMSC statement regarding recent comments by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Read below. pic.twitter.com/mIgxPdKzWB
— MUMSC (@mum_sc) February 11, 2026
“Public discourse shapes public behaviour. When influential figures adopt language that mirrors extremist talking points, it risks legitimising prejudice and deepening division.”
“Manchester United is a global club built on diversity – on players, staff and supporters from every background, faith and ethnicity. The strength of our club, and of our country, lies in that diversity.
“Debate on immigration policy is legitimate. But it must be conducted responsibly, without language that alienates communities or reinforces narratives associated with intolerance. We stand with all communities who reject racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and hatred in all its forms, and we call for leadership that unites rather than divides.”
Popular broadcaster Morgan labelled Ratcliffe’s comments as “race-baiting hypocrite” in a strongly worded statement on social media.
Aside from his blatant lies/ignorance about UK population numbers, Ratcliffe is an immigrant tax exile in Monaco, and most of his Manchester United team are immigrants to UK. So he’s a stinking race-baiting hypocrite. https://t.co/MMG1MDxPqo
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 11, 2026
“Aside from his blatant lies/ignorance about UK population numbers, Ratcliffe is an immigrant tax exile in Monaco, and most of his Manchester United team are immigrants to the UK. So he’s a stinking race-baiting hypocrite,” he said.
There’s no doubt Ratcliffe’s recent comments are set to make him even more unpopular with the club, where he has already ordered numerous job cuts. It’s also ironic in many ways that Ratcliffe is complaining about immigration in the UK while being a resident of Monaco.
Manchester United football club also include a large number of overseas players, and a majority of staff have a global heritage. In such a scenario, Ratcliffe’s remarks are the opposite of what Manchester United and the English Premier League stand for.
It also has the potential to spark a new wave of racism in an already highly fractured world and Britain.
Kick It Out, an organisation that works with football teams on discrimination and inclusiveness, has slammed Ratcliffe, stating that “This type of language and leadership has no place in English football.”
Interestingly, United are among the few truly global football clubs whose popularity cuts across borders and continents. A large share of Manchester United supporters come from African and Asian countries. This die-hard following has not been built solely through on-field performances, but also through the institution embracing inclusivity.
Who can forget the top African and Asian footballers who have played for the club? South Korea’s Park Ji-sung was hugely popular, while Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly served the club to the best of his abilities.
With his irresponsible comments, Ratcliffe now risks alienating this global community at a time when the club has been in decline for over a decade.
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