Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has found himself in serious heat after he made a series of comments regarding immigration in the United Kingdom.
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been ridiculed by several figures over recent comments he made about immigration.
The 73-year-old has caused serious problems for United, leaving officials ‘mortified’ and having to assess the damage at Old Trafford just this morning.
After assessing the fallout, the club’s top priority was minimising the impact of Ratcliffe’s comments on Michael Carrick’s squad.
Whilst the players and staff at the club were completely uninvolved in the comments that Ratcliffe made, it’s only expected that they will also receive backlash. This could affect their position in the Premier League massively if the criticism becomes too much.
Ratcliffe’s comments deemed “disgraceful” and “divisive”
In a recent interview with Sky Sports, the INEOS owner claimed that the UK has been “colonised by immigrants”, as well as arguing that the population within the United Kingdom has increased by 12 million since 2020.
The BBC has confirmed this is not the case, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a figure of around 2.7 million, less than a quarter of what Ratcliffe claimed.
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Not only has Ratcliffe been flamed by senior club officials, but outside sources have also had their fair share of negative opinions about him, with Prime Minister Kier Starmer speaking on the matter.
Starmer explained on social media that Ratcliffe’s comments were both ‘offensive and wrong’ and urged the man to apologise for his words.
Other opposition parties and football groups are also holding Ratcliffe to account, publicly criticising the billionaire, with football organisation Kick It Out condemning Ratcliffe’s comments as “disgraceful” and “divisive”.
The Daily Mail reports that senior United officials have been ‘mortified’ by the comments and spent Thursday morning assessing the damage at Old Trafford. Further, The Sun states that players are dismayed, with one senior player saying he had “no words” in response to the remarks.
Ratcliffe issues apology for offense
Ratcliffe has now issued a statement apologising for his unjust comments. He stated, “I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe.
“It is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth”
Downing Street has since accepted Ratcliffe’s apology, while sources say the Football Association is still examining his comments.
United released a statement saying that, as a club, they remain a champion of diversity and inclusion.
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