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Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has triggered a crisis of confidence among portions of the club's fanbase after stating that the U.K. was "on the slide" due, in part, to what he described as "the immigration problem."
Ratcliffe, who holds more than a quarter stake in United and exercises sporting control over the club, is among Britain's wealthiest individuals and was a vocal supporter of the country's decision to leave the European Union in 2016. The Mancunian petrochemical billionaire drew significant attention back in February after asserting that the U.K. had been "colonized by immigrants" while making factually inaccurate claims about the nation's population growth. Ratcliffe later apologized for "offending some people."
The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) issued a statement of no confidence in Ratcliffe following this latest controversy.
"We condemned those comments then," the MUMSC wrote. "He [Ratcliffe] subsequently apologized for his choice of language. We hoped a lesson had been learned. Clearly, it has not. This week, Sir Jim has once again placed immigration and people receiving benefits at the heart of his explanation for Britain's troubles, arguing that nobody is 'tough enough' to address either.
"We find these latest comments deeply disappointing and completely unacceptable."
What Did Ratcliffe Say About 'the Immigration Problem'?
During the launch of the European Union's first carbon capture and storage system on Saturday, Ratcliffe spoke to the BBC about the current state of the U.K.
The 73-year-old suggested that Britain had once been "a fantastic place." "We had the greatest empire in the world. We were a great people. We won two world wars."
"Nobody's tough enough to deal with the immigration problem," Ratcliffe stated. "Nobody's tough enough to deal with the benefits problem. But somebody needs to do it."
Beyond alienating supporters of the club he co-owns, Ratcliffe also drew a sharp response from the very politicians he was criticizing. U.K. minister for women and equalities Bridget Phillipson brushed aside his remarks, noting: "Of course, we want to see a successful economy that involves supporting our businesses to deliver the very best, but you'll forgive me if I do take with a pinch of salt what someone who is a tax exile has to say about our country."
Glazers Also Caught in Backlash
The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club noted that the team's "players, staff, stewards, security teams and supporters come from different countries, cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds. ... Manchester United would not be Manchester United without them. That diversity isn't a weakness of Manchester United. It is part of Manchester United."
Following Ratcliffe's earlier remarks, the club released a pointed statement reaffirming its commitment to "equality, diversity and inclusion."
Ratcliffe may be the most prominent of United's owners, but the majority of the club still remains under the control of the Glazer family, who have long been a focal point of fan criticism. MUMSC had hoped that Ratcliffe's arrival in 2024 "would finally signal meaningful change" after the Glazer family had "presided over Manchester United's decline," only to be left disappointed.
The group highlighted "higher ticket prices" and "a stadium allowed to deteriorate," along with "a football team that continues to fall further behind where Manchester United should be." Their concerns, naturally, "now extend beyond the pitch."
"After years of decline, broken promises and repeated failure," the statement concluded, "Manchester United Muslim Supporters' Club has lost confidence in the current ownership structure of Manchester United Football Club. Enough is enough. It is time for change. The Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe must go."