Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been criticized by a government minister for being “hypocritical” in his remarks on migration to the UK. The Justice minister, Jake Richards, took issue with the billionaire’s comments about the UK being “colonised by immigrants,” pointing out that Sir Jim himself resides in tax-free Monaco. Ranking as the seventh wealthiest individual in Britain according to the Sunday Times rich list, Sir Jim’s statements were deemed offensive by Mr. Richards, who emphasized that the billionaire does not even live in the UK.
While acknowledging Sir Jim’s right to hold an opinion, Mr. Richards, along with the Prime Minister, found the language used by Sir Jim to be offensive and factually incorrect. The minister emphasized the importance of discussing immigration concerns but criticized Sir Jim for moving to Monaco to save on taxes and then lecturing the UK on immigration issues, labeling this behavior as hypocritical.
Sir Jim had expressed his views on the economic impact of high levels of immigration and the number of people on benefits in the UK. However, the Prime Minister swiftly condemned Sir Jim’s remarks as offensive and called for an apology. Opposition leader Keir Starmer also joined in, describing the comments as both offensive and inaccurate, asserting that Britain is a proud and diverse nation.
Football’s anti-discrimination body, Kick It Out, condemned Sir Jim’s remarks as “disgraceful,” emphasizing that such language and leadership have no place in English football. They highlighted the diverse fan base of Manchester United and the enriching cultural history brought by immigrants to the city of Manchester, stating that divisive language should not be tolerated in the football community.
