Nigel Farage declared Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘is right’ after the Manchester United co-owner sparked backlash after claiming the UK was ‘colonised by immigrants’.

Yesterday, the billionaire doubled down on his statement, where he claimed immigrants were ‘costing too much money’. 

Sir Jim, 73, who is facing an FA probe, said he was ‘sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe’. 

But he added: ‘It is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth.’

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer denounced his claim, saying Ratcliffe’s choice of words was ‘offensive and wrong’, urging him to apologise ‘immediately’. 

However, today the Reform Leader has come to the football club owner’s defence, saying Sir Jim ‘is right’ to say parts of the country have seen change. 

‘You look at parts of London, for example, where the road names, the underground signs aren’t just in English, they’re in a foreign language as well,’ Farage said. 

‘One million people living in this country don’t speak any English at all. Four million people living in this country barely speak passable English.

Nigel Farage (pictured on February 9, 2026) has said Sir Jim Ratcliffe was ‘right’ after the Manchester United co-owner claimed the UK was ‘colonised by immigrants’

Manchester United co-owner (pictured) previously said Britain has been ‘colonised’ by immigrants he says are ‘costing too much money’ in a bombshell interview

‘And that’s the point that he was making, that big areas of our towns and cities have been changed into something completely different to what they were.’

Farage’s support of the Manchester United co-owner comes as Ratcliffe explained his comments were made at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp.  

‘I was discussing the importance of economic growth, jobs, skills and manufacturing in the UK,’ he said. 

‘My intention was to stress that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs so that long-term prosperity is shared by everyone. It is critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK.’

In his interview with Sky News yesterday, he claimed the population of the UK had increased by 12 million in six years, from 58 million in 2020 to 70 million today.

However, according to the Office for National Statistics, the UK population was estimated to be 70 million in mid-2024, up from 67 million in 2020, and 58.9 million in 2000.

He also claimed that there were nine million people on benefits in the UK. He was not specific on the type of benefits, but the current claimant count for out-of-work benefits is around 1.66 million.

However, the extra number of Universal Credit (UC) claimants has recently soared to 8.3 million people, and 24 million people claim some kind of benefit, if you include the state pension.

Sir Jim had also admitted he was unsure whether Sir Keir Starmer, pictured in PMQs yesterday, is the right man to be Prime Minister

His apology came as the Football Association revealed it would examine whether his comments about immigrants had brought the game into disrepute. 

Controversial Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was given a five-match stadium ban in 2024 after being found guilty of an ‘improper conduct’ charge.

However, Sir Jim’s remarks on immigration and the economy in the Sky News interview earlier this week have sparked upset among Manchester United fans who believe the club owner was being divisive.  

Senior Manchester United officials are said to be ‘mortified’ by his comments, amid fears over the impact on players and plans for a new £2billion stadium, the Daily Mail’s Mike Keegan reported.

Sir Keir Starmer previously responded to Sir Jim’s comments in a post on X, writing: ‘Offensive and wrong. Jim Ratcliffe should apologise.’

Sir Jim is also facing a backlash from Manchester United fans with protest group The ’58 calling him ‘a total embarrassment’. 

The Manchester United Supporters Trust added that he was ‘marginalising’ the club’s fanbase.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who has been working closely with United on its £2billion stadium project, said Ratcliffe’s words ‘go against everything for which Manchester has traditionally stood’.

Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe said: ‘Ratcliffe is right. And I respect him for having the balls to say it’, adding: ‘It [the UK] has been colonised by immigrants. That’s just a fact.’

Sir Keir’s tweet where he demanded that Sir Jim apologised as he said Britain was a ‘proud, tolerant and diverse country’

Britain is still open to business with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s companies despite his claim that the UK is being ‘colonised’ by migrants, Rachel Reeves suggested.

Speaking during a visit to Crawley, the Chancellor was asked if the Government still planned to provide support for Sir Jim’s businesses in Grangemouth and Runcorn.

Ms Reeves replied: ‘Investment in Grangemouth is to support jobs in Grangemouth and support vital industries in Scotland and in the UK.

‘But what Jim Ratcliffe said was unacceptable. It was disgusting, frankly, and he should apologise for his remarks, but I’m not going to let what Jim Ratcliffe has said determine the future of jobs in Scotland.

‘It is really important that we invest in our industrial base in Scotland and right across the UK.’

She added: ‘Our country benefits hugely from its diversity. We see that in our businesses, we see that in our universities, we see that in our cultural life, and we are richer because of the diversity of our country.’

Sir Jim also questioned whether Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is the right man to lead the country forward in a bombshell new interview, arguing ‘he may be too nice’. 

Ratcliffe has been widely unpopular with Man United fans since purchasing his stake in the club on December 24, 2023

65,922 illegal migrants have reached the United Kingdom since Sir Keir’s time in Downing Street began in July 2024 – that’s more than under any other PM in history (file photo)

He added: ‘I don’t know whether it’s just the apparatus that hasn’t allowed Keir to do it or, or he’s maybe too nice – I mean, Keir is a nice man.

‘I like him, but it’s a tough job and I think you have to do some difficult things with the UK to get it back on track, because at the moment I don’t think the economy is in a good state.’

It was revealed that 65,922 illegal migrants reached the United Kingdom by small boat since Sir Keir’s time in No 10 Downing Street began in July 2024 – more than under any other PM in history.

And Sir Keir’s Justice minister Jake Richards claimed yesterday morning that the Ineos billionaire is ‘hypocritical’ to criticise the Government on migration, because he has ‘moved to Monaco to save £4billion in tax’.

‘One might question whether he is the patriot we need to comment on this issue’, he said.

Kick It Out – the anti-discrimination football campaign group – criticised Sir Jim’s comments, including the claim that the UK population has swelled by 12 million since 2020.

In a statement to the Press Association, Kick It Out said: ‘Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments are disgraceful and deeply divisive at a time when football does so much to bring communities together.

‘In addition to the inaccurate figures mentioned, it’s worth reminding him that Manchester United has a diverse fan base and plays in a city whose cultural history has been enriched by immigrants.

‘This type of language and leadership has no place in English football, and we believe most fans will feel the same.’