Image source, PA Media

Conservative peer and former transport secretary Mark Harper has called Ratcliffe's comments "ill judged", adding that his apology could have been "a little more generous".

Speaking on BBC Politics Live, Harper says there is "nothing wrong" with having a "sensible conversation" about immigration, but adds: "If you use careless, offensive language, people then don't listen to the sensible points you're making".

He also criticises the tone of Ratcliffe's apology, calling it "one of those terrible 'I'm sorry if I've offended anyone' apologies".

Image source, Getty Images

"It is awful but unsurprising to hear another super-rich man blaming immigrants for the problems caused by billionaires," says the co-leader of the Scottish Greens.

Gillian Mackay MSP says Jim Ratcliffe's choice of the word 'colonised' is "historically illiterate" and echoes language used to "sow division and fear".

"Our NHS, our universities, our public services and our economy are stronger because of the people who have chosen to build their lives here," she says in a statement.

"Divisive language like this does nothing to solve the real challenges people face, like the cost of living, and instead only benefits those who seek to divide communities."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says he "firmly" believes Ratcliffe's comments were "right", in a new video published since the Man United co-owner's apology.

He says Ratcliffe was pointing out that "big areas of our towns and cities have been changed into something completely different to what they were, and that it's all making us poorer".

Addressing Ratcliffe's phrase that the UK was "colonised by immigrants", he says: "Now that word was a controversial word. And he said, 'OK if you don't like the word we'll tone it down'.

"But just think about this. You ask yourself why public services are diminished. You ask yourself why rents have gone through the roof. The population explosion has done that."

Image source, PA Media

Ratcliffe's apology follows a backlash to his comment that the UK has been "colonised by immigrants".

This is what political figures said about his remarks prior to his apology today.

• Keir Starmer called Ratcliffe's comments "offensive and wrong", as called on the billionaire to apologise
• Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the Manchester United co-owner's views were out of step with traditional Mancunian values
• Shadow chancellor Mel Stride disagreed with the use of the word "colonised," telling PA it was a pejorative term, but he went on to say immigration numbers were "too high" and the topic was "of great concern to millions of people" in the UK
• Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said Ratcliffe’s remarks were "totally out of step with British values"
• Responding to Starmer's condemnation, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the UK has "undergone unprecedented mass immigration that has changed the character of many areas in our country"
• Former Prime Minister Liz Truss - who is no longer an MP - said: "Ratcliffe is right."

Image source, PA Media

Ratcliffe was born in Failsworth in Greater Manchester, the son of a joiner, and has been a fan of Manchester United since childhood.

After graduating with a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Birmingham in 1974, he spent several years at oil firms BP and Esso before joining the fabric and chemicals producer Courtaulds.

Ratcliffe went on to found one of the world's largest chemical companies, Ineos, becoming one of the UK's richest men.

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 has spoken out on political issues before. He was a Leave campaigner in the lead-up to the 2016 Brexit referendum.

And ahead of the 2024 general election, he told Bloomberg he had "had enough" of the Tories, putting his support instead behind Labour's bid.

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.

Asif Mahmud, co-founder of the official Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club, earlier condemned Ratcliffe's use of the word "colonised", saying the language is reminiscent of that used by the far right.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning - and prior to Ratcliffe's apology - Mahmud said there was "quite a bit of shock" within the membership.

"We appreciate there are legitimate debates around immigration... but using words like that stokes the flames," he said.

More now from Starmer's spokesman, who says: "The prime minister asked for an apology, and one’s been issued, and it’s absolutely right that Jim Ratcliffe has apologised for that language."

Pressed on whether the apology went far enough, he reitierated that it was "right" for Ratcliffe to apologise, adding: "It’s for Mr Ratcliffe to speak to his apology… It’s not for me."

The PM's spokesman also told reporters: "We are of course of the view that there should be a serious debate about immigration, but the prime minister believes in a Britain built for all, and that those comments were inflammatory and divisive."

And he said there has been no contact between Downing Street and the Manchester United co-owner about his comments.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman says it is "right" that Ratcliffe apologised for his "offensive and wrong" comments.

Immigration has been a thorny issue for the governmentpublished at 12:29 GMT

12:29 GMT

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

Ratcliffe's comments about the UK being "colonised" have provoked a political backlash.

The prime minister had called for an apology - saying the remarks were "offensive and wrong". The chancellor called his words "disgusting".

But there is no doubt there is a wider debate going on in British politics about the impact of immigration in communities.

That's why Reform UK's leader - Nigel Farage - responded by arguing mass immigration had changed the character of many areas.

I suspect Downing Street are happy to be having a debate about something other than the prime minister's judgement. But immigration has been a thorny issue for this government - and it is likely to continue to be a big part of the political conversation.

Ratcliffe’s claim the UK population grew by 12 million in five years is incorrectpublished at 12:28 GMT

12:28 GMT

By Ben Chu, policy and analysis editor

During his interview with Sky News, Ratcliffe said: "The population of the UK was 58 million in 2020. Now it's 70 million. That's 12 million people."

Ratcliffe’s claim is incorrect - the Office for National Statistics’ p, externalr, externalovisional , externalmid-year, external population estimate for, external 2025 , externalwas , external69.4 million, external. For 2020, the population was 66.7 million. So the UK population has increased by an estimated 2.7 million - not 12 million.

The last time the UK population was estimated to be 58 million people was in 1995. So the 12 million increase has taken place over more than three decades.

The period immediately after the lifting of Covid restrictions did see very large immigration into the UK with net migration peaking at 944,000 for the period between April 2022 and March 2023.

That figure has since dropped significantly to a provisional estimate of 204,000 for the year ending June 2025 and is expected to fall even more.

Image source, PA Media

As we've just reported, Jim Ratcliffe has issued a statement apologising for his choice of language.

Here's a brief summary of what he said about immigration in an interview with Sky News on Wednesday.

The Manchester United co-owner 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 added.

He cited incorrect figures on immigration numbers to back up his claim.

The 73-year-old also made comparisons between running a country and a football club, saying both required leaders to be prepared to be "unpopular".

“If you really want to deal with the major issues of immigration, with people opting to take benefits rather than working for a living, if you want to deal with that, then you're going to have to do some things which are unpopular, and show some courage," he said.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among those who called for an apology.

Ratcliffe has just issued the following statement:

"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."

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called Ratcliffe's remarks "unacceptable" and "disgusting", telling broadcasters he "should apologise".

"Our country benefits hugely from its diversity," she adds.

Image source, Reuters

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has responded to Starmer calling Ratcliffe's remarks "offensive and wrong".

Responding to Starmer's post on social media with his own, Farage says: "Britain has undergone unprecedented mass immigration that has changed the character of many areas in our country.

"Labour may try to ignore that but Reform won’t."

Starmer's post also described Britain as a "proud, tolerant and diverse country" and called on Ratcliffe to apologise.

Show Racism the Red Card, an anti-racism educational charity, says it is "deeply concerned" by Ratcliffe's comments.

"Language of this kind echoes narratives that have historically been used to stigmatise migrant communities, fuel division, and legitimise hostility towards minority groups," it says in a statement.

"Football clubs and their leadership hold enormous cultural influence," it says, adding they "should be used to challenge racism, not inadvertently amplify narratives that undermine community harmony."

The anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out says Ratcliffe's comments are "disgraceful and deeply divisive".

"In addition to the inaccurate figures mentioned, it’s worth reminding him that Manchester United has a diverse fan base and plays in a city whose cultural history has been enriched by immigrants," it says.

Ratcliffe was speaking on the sidelines of the European Industry Summit in Belgium, in an interview with Sky News’s economic editor Ed Conway, on Wednesday.

During the conversation, Ratcliffe 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 added.

Citing incorrect figures, he went on to say: "The population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it's 70 million. That's 12 million people."

According to the Office for National Statistics, the estimate for the UK's population in mid-2025 was 69.4 million, external, compared with 66.7 million in mid-2020.

The 73-year-old likened the job of running the country to his stewardship of Manchester United, saying politicians needed to be "prepared to be unpopular for a period of time to get the big issues sorted out".

“If you really want to deal with the major issues of immigration, with people opting to take benefits rather than working for a living, if you want to deal with that, then you're going to have to do some things which are unpopular, and show some courage,” he said.

Ratcliffe has restructured United since acquiring a 27.7% stake in 2024, making 450 redundancies, overhauling senior management and sacking two managers.

Image source, PA Media

The prime minister and the mayor of Manchester have criticised Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire co-owner of Manchester United, for saying the UK has been "colonised by immigrants".

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham says the comments "go against everything for which Manchester has traditionally stood", while PM Keir Starmer says the comments are "offensive and wrong".

Ratcliffe, who is also founder of one of the world’s largest chemical companies Ineos, made the comments to Sky News on Wednesday, and cited incorrect figures to back up his claim.

He also suggested the PM was "too nice" to do "difficult things" to stabilise the UK economy.

Starmer responded yesterday evening by saying the UK is "a proud, tolerant and diverse country".

Kick It Out, an organisation set up to fight discrimination in football, said the comments were "disgraceful and deeply divisive", and Manchester United fan groups have also condemned them.

The BBC has approached Ineos and Manchester United for comment.