It’s not usual for billionaires to bite the hands that feed them by making racist comments like Manchester United owner Jim Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe had a go at “nine million people on benefits”; some of them will be those thrown into unemployment when he shutdown his Grangemouth oil refinery in April 2025. And, textbook billionaire tactics, he deployed some divide and rule, claiming Britain has been “colonised by immigrants”, for which he eventually made a mealy-mouthed apology.
He might be looking favourably at Reform leader Nigel Farage now, but Ratcliffe switched from backing Tories to Labour in 2024, anything to accumulate profit. A decade ago, he was a multi-millionaire. His personal wealth is now estimated at £17 billion. In 2020 he moved his tax residency to Monaco so he pays zero tax in the UK.
In 2024 he became part-owner of Manchester United Football Club and sacked 250 low-paid workers. They weren’t responsible for money being leeched from the club unlike the majority owners – the Glazer family – who have benefited to the tune of £1.2 billion in two decades!
There is disquiet within the club. Ratcliffe has virtually ignored the women’s team competing in Europe for the first time. Fans say the only things he’s interested in are rebuilding Old Trafford stadium and pre-season foreign tours, both for personal profit accumulation. Many believe on-field results only matter to him because they make the club more attractive to the best players so he can make more money.
It was very noticeable this week that Manchester United issued an official club statement recommitting to their stance of equality for all. The wording shows this clearly wasn’t Ratcliffe’s idea!
As I was writing this article, I watched United win the ‘mini-derby’ – the match between the two Manchester under-18 sides. Playing for United were Godwill Kukonki, Bendito Mantato and Yuel Helafu, all English-born into reasonably recent migrant families and all tipped for careers at the higher levels of football. Do you think for one minute Ratcliffe considered the effects his ‘colonisation’ comments may have made on these youngsters? Of course not! But he may find the supporters did.
Not our views. Not at our club.
Dave Gorton
