Sir Keir Starmer has labelled comments about immigration made by billionaire Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe as "offensive and wrong".

Sir Jim, founder of one of the world's largest chemical companies, Ineos, told Sky News on Wednesday the UK had been "colonised by immigrants" and suggested the prime minister was "too nice" to do "difficult things" to stabilise the country's economy.

Sir Keir responded by saying Britain was "a proud, tolerant and diverse country" and called on Sir Jim to apologise.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the comments "play into the hands of those who want to divide our country".

The BBC has approached Ineos and Manchester United for comment.

On Wednesday, Sir Jim told the broadcaster: "You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in."

He added: "I mean, the UK has been colonised. It's costing too much money.

"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."

However, data from the Office for National Statistics estimates the UK's population in mid-2025 was 69.4 million, compared with 66.7 million in mid-2020.

Sir Jim made the comments during an interview with Sky News' economic editor Ed Conway, on the fringes of the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, Belgium.

The remarks were condemned by various fans groups, including the Manchester United Supporters Trust, which said on X: "No fan should feel excluded from following or supporting the club because of their race, religion, nationality or background. Comments from the club's senior leadership should make inclusion easier, not harder.

"This is not about politics; it is about ensuring that the custodians of Manchester United act in a way that unites supporters rather than marginalising any part of our fanbase."

Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club also said it was "deeply concerned" by the remarks, adding that the term colonised "is not neutral".

"It echoes language frequently used in far-right narratives that frame migrants as invaders and demographic threats," it added.

Show Racism the Red Card said the cultural influence held by football clubs "should be used to challenge racism, not inadvertently amplify narratives that undermine community harmony", while Kick It Out said the comments were "disgraceful and deeply divisive".

The 1958 Group of Manchester United supporters described the comments as "very ill-advised", and criticised Sir Jim for "commenting on the issues of our country while living in Monaco to avoid paying tax".

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

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".

He told Sky News that although some of his decisions had been unpopular, he had had to make them "to get the big issues sorted out".

"If you do difficult things, which we felt that we had to do at Manchester United... we felt like they were the right things to do. But you do become very unpopular for a while," said Sir Jim.

He added: "But you've got all the same issues with the country. 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."

PA Media Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has brown greying hair and a grey stubble beard, wears a beige linen suit jacket with a white shirt and red tiePA Media

Speaking about the prime minister, Sir Jim said: "It's a tough job, and I think you have to do some difficult things with the UK to get it back on track."

Sir Jim said he had met Reform UK leader Nigel Farage recently, and described him as an "intelligent man" with "good intentions", but added that "in a way, you could say exactly the same about Keir when Keir came in".

"I think it needs somebody who's prepared to be unpopular for a period of time to get the big issues sorted out," he added.

In response to Sir Keir's condemnation of the comments, Farage said on X: "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."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Sir Jim's comments as "totally wrong" and "totally out of step with British values", also calling on him to apologise.

According to the Sunday Times' Rich List, Sir Jim, who was a Leave campaigner in the run-up to the Brexit referendum, was the 7th richest person in the UK in 2025, with a net worth of about £17bn.

He reportedly moved from the UK to Monaco in 2020, a place that does not collect personal income tax or capital gains taxes.

Ineos' raw materials are used in everything from packaging for toiletries, medicines and food, to mobile phones and furniture.

In recent years, Sir Jim's business interests have moved away from chemicals, including a discontinued plan to build a new vehicle based on the Land Rover Defender, as well as Ineos' purchase of luxury motorcycle wear brand Belstaff. (BBC)

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