Manchester mayor says Man U co-owner Ratcliffe ‘insulting’ to claim UK is ‘colonised by immigrants’ – live updates

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe sparked a political storm after claiming the UK has been “colonised by immigrants,” remarks that drew swift condemnation from across the political spectrum. Manchester’s mayor was among the critics, describing the language as “insulting.”

Ratcliffe made the comments in Belgium on the sidelines of the European Industry Summit, during a televised interview on Wednesday. He argued that the country faces unsustainable pressures from immigration and welfare, and said politicians should be prepared to take unpopular decisions to tackle “big issues.”

“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?”

Ratcliffe also cited population figures to support his argument, claiming: “The population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it’s 70 million. That’s 12 million people.” Those numbers are incorrect. Official estimates place the UK population at 69.4 million in mid-2025, up from 66.7 million in mid-2020, indicating growth of around 2.7 million over that period.

Calls for tougher decisions

Drawing a parallel between politics and football, the 73-year-old industrialist said that running the country requires leaders willing to weather unpopularity in the short term to achieve long-term results.

“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 suggested that, as with his approach at Manchester United, decisive leadership is needed to reset priorities and drive change.

United reforms as analogy

Ratcliffe purchased a 27.7% stake in Manchester United in 2024 and has since overseen a sweeping restructuring. The club has made approximately 450 redundancies, overhauled senior management, and dismissed two managers. Ratcliffe pointed to these moves as examples of making hard choices to achieve longer-term improvements, arguing that national policymakers should take a similarly resolute approach.

Reaction and debate

His remarks intensified the national debate over immigration, welfare, and economic productivity. Critics argued that characterizing the UK as “colonised” by immigrants is inflammatory and dismissive of the contributions migrants make to the economy and public services. Supporters of stricter immigration controls, however, said Ratcliffe was highlighting legitimate concerns about pressure on housing, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Amid the backlash, local leaders and commentators stressed the importance of accuracy in discussing population changes and public spending. The dispute over figures underscored how contested—and politically sensitive—these topics remain.

Key points

• Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the UK has been “colonised by immigrants,” arguing current levels of immigration and welfare are unsustainable.
• He incorrectly claimed the UK population rose from 58 million in 2020 to 70 million; official estimates indicate an increase from 66.7 million (mid-2020) to 69.4 million (mid-2025).
• Ratcliffe urged politicians to make unpopular decisions to address immigration and welfare issues, likening it to tough calls he says he has made at Manchester United.
• His comments prompted strong criticism, including from Manchester’s mayor, who called the claim “insulting.”