How Manchester United have responded after controversial interview by co-owner of Premier League giants

Manchester United have launched an announcement pledging to “proceed to symbolize our folks, our metropolis and our followers with function and pleasure”.

The membership made the announcement shortly after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe mentioned on Thursday he was sorry for his “alternative of language” whereas talking about immigration in a Sky Information interview on Wednesday.

UK prime minister Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves have been among the many public figures to name on Ratcliffe to apologise, with Reeves calling the 73-year-old’s feedback “unacceptable” and “disgusting”.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe interview: What have Manchester United mentioned?

United didn’t straight reference Ratcliffe, who acquired a 27.7% stake within the 20-time English champions in 2024, or the interview within the assertion, which started by emphasising that the membership “prides itself” on being inclusive and welcoming, in addition to having a various group of gamers, employees and followers all over the world reflecting “a metropolis that anybody can name house”.

The membership reaffirmed a deep dedication to its All Crimson All Equal initiative, which was launched in 2016 and based mostly round equality, variety and inclusion, and the Premier League’s Superior Equality, Range and Inclusion Commonplace.

The assertion highlighted occasions and initiatives at males’s and ladies’s video games “marking psychological well being, LGBTQ+ inclusion, No Room for Racism, violence towards ladies and women and homophobic chanting”.

“We have now additionally celebrated our supporters’ golf equipment’ occasions, together with our Disabled Supporters’ Assocation’s Christmas Social gathering and our Jewish Supporters’ Membership’s Chanukah occasion,” they mentioned.

“Within the weeks and months forward, we can be supporting additional initiatives in these areas. This all sits alongside the unimaginable work which the Manchester United Basis undertakes in and round Manchester every day.

“Manchester United displays the unity and resilience of all of the communities we’re so privileged to symbolize.”

You possibly can learn the total assertion right here.

Man United: What was Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s apology for?

Ratcliffe, who’s the founding father of chemical giants Ineos, was criticised for saying the UK has been “colonised by immigrants”.

“You possibly can’t have an economic system with 9 million folks on advantages and big ranges of immigrants coming in,” the billionaire added. “I imply, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing an excessive amount of cash.”

Various the claims Ratcliffe made have been incorrect, in keeping with BBC Information. You possibly can learn their fact-check on his remarks about about immigration and advantages right here.

Main anti-discrimination group Kick It Out known as the feedback “disgraceful and deeply divisive”, whereas Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham mentioned they “go towards all the pieces for which Manchester has historically stood”.

Jim Ratcliffe apology: How Manchester United co-owner responded

“I’m sorry that my alternative of language has offended some folks within the UK and Europe and precipitated concern however you will need to increase the problem of managed and well-managed immigration that helps financial progress,” Ratcliffe’s assertion mentioned.

“My feedback have been made whereas answering questions on UK coverage on the European Business Summit in Antwerp, the place I used to be discussing the significance of financial progress, jobs, abilities and manufacturing within the UK.

“My intention was to emphasize that governments should handle migration alongside funding in abilities, trade and jobs in order that long-term prosperity is shared by everybody. It’s vital that we keep an open debate on the challenges dealing with the UK.”

Chatting with BBC Politics Reside, Conservative peer and former transport secretary Mark Harper steered Ratcliffe’s apology might have been “somewhat extra beneficiant”.

Critics of Ratcliffe’s remarks have mentioned they’re divisive, inflammatory and inaccurate.

“We recognize there are professional debates round immigration… however utilizing phrases like that stokes the flames,” mentioned Asif Mahmud, the co-founder of the official Manchester United Muslim Supporters Membership, likening the language to phrases utilized by the far proper.

Mahmud mentioned there was “fairly a little bit of shock” throughout the membership of the Muslim Supporters Membership.

Gillian Mackay, the co-leader of the Scottish Inexperienced Social gathering, mentioned the language “does nothing to unravel the actual challenges folks face, like the price of residing, and as an alternative solely advantages those that search to divide communities.”

Downing Road accepted Ratcliffe’s apology, whereas a number of stories mentioned that the Soccer Affiliation (FA) is analyzing whether or not Ratcliffe’s feedback have introduced the sport into disrepute.

“It’s a matter that our authorized and regulation staff are working to,” the FA’s chief govt, Mark Bullingham, mentioned.

How did Jim Ratcliffe make his cash? Web price, background

The son of a joiner, Ratcliffe grew up on a council property in Better Manchester and labored within the power and chemical substances sector earlier than mortgaging his home in 1992 to assist part-fund a deal to purchase a chemical substances firm being bought by BP.

By 1994, the corporate was valued at £100 million when it floated on the London Inventory Alternate. Ratcliffe left in 1998 and based Ineos, constructing huge wealth and remaining chairman at present.

He was knighted in 2018 for companies to enterprise and funding and is ranked seventh on the Sunday Occasions Wealthy Listing, which places his internet price at £17 billion.

Based mostly in Monaco, Ratcliffe’s finalisation of his £1.25bn deal to put money into United included taking on soccer operations at one of many greatest golf equipment on the earth sport.

Ratcliffe has endured a testing begin to his bid to revive United as one of many superpowers of English soccer, together with a restructuring that featured 450 redundancies, an overhaul of senior administration and the sacking of two managers, most just lately overseeing the dismissal of Ruben Amorim following a poor first half of the 2025/26 season.