The Football Association is reviewing inflammatory comments made by Sir Jim Ratcliffe regarding the UK’s immigrant population to determine if the Manchester United co-owner has committed an aggravated breach of conduct rules.
The Football Association has confirmed it is reviewing recent remarks made by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who claimed during a Sky News interview that the United Kingdom has been “colonised by immigrants.”
Ratcliffe’s assertions, including the claim that the UK population surged by 12 million people since 2020, were quickly debunked by the Office for National Statistics, which placed the actual growth closer to 2.4 million.
As a club director, Ratcliffe is classified as a “participant” under FA Rule E3.1, meaning his language is subject to disciplinary standards regarding improper or insulting conduct; any reference to nationality or ethnic origin could elevate the matter to an “aggravated breach.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the billionaire’s rhetoric as “offensive and wrong,” while Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham noted the comments “go against everything for which Manchester has traditionally stood.”
Despite the backlash, Ratcliffe compared his stance to his leadership at Old Trafford, stating the country needs a leader “prepared to be unpopular … to get the big issues sorted,” even as FA sources confirm they are examining the legalities of his claim that “the UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn’t it?”