Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has strongly criticised comments made by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who said the UK has been 'colonised by immigrants'. In a statement on Thursday, Burnham described the remarks as 'inaccurate, insulting, inflammatory' and called for them to be withdrawn.
Sir Jim, the founder of chemical giant Ineos, made the comments in a recent interview, claiming that the UK cannot sustain high levels of immigration alongside nine million people on benefits. He also referred to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as 'an intelligent man with good intentions'.
Burnham said the comments go against everything Manchester stands for, highlighting the contributions of immigrants to the city-region, including footballers, NHS workers, and those in other essential industries. He added that criticism should be directed at those who 'have siphoned wealth out of one of our proudest institutions', in an apparent reference to the Glazer family's ownership of Manchester United.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also condemned the remarks on Wednesday night, calling them 'offensive and wrong' and urging Ratcliffe to apologise. The controversy adds to tensions around Ratcliffe's involvement at Manchester United, where he has faced backlash over ticket pricing and other changes.
