UK colonised by immigrants, says Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe

Downing Street said Ratcliffe’s remarks “play into the hands of those who want to divide our country” and called on him to “immediately” apologise

Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe. File Picture: PA

British prime minister Keir Starmer has said that Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe should apologise for saying that the “UK has been colonised by immigrants” and said the billionaire's comments were "offensive and wrong".

In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, the billionaire, who is founder and chairman of one of the world’s largest chemical companies, Ineos said: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in.