Man United’s Jim Ratcliffe recalled responsibilities, but no FA charges over ‘colonised’ claim

Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has been reminded of his ‘responsibilities as a participant in English football’ after sparking a firestorm of criticism for claiming Britain had been ‘colonised’ by immigrants.

But the English Football Association will not charge Ratcliffe over his comments, which were widely condemned by political figures including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the club’s supporters.

The governing body reminded Ratcliffe of his responsibilities when participating in media interviews, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

British billionaire Ratcliffe, owner of petrochemical giant INEOS, made the comments during an interview with Sky News, which aired last week.

“You can’t have an economy with 9 million people on benefits and a huge amount of immigrants coming in,” he said. «I mean, Britain has been colonized.»

READ ALSO: Carrick praises Man United’s ‘diversity’ after Ratcliffe’s immigrant tirade

Ratcliffe’s comments struck a chord in Britain, where immigration is a divisive issue. He later said he was sorry that his choice of language had «offended some people.»

Starmer had previously called on him to apologise, saying: “Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country”.

United fans, who are proud of the diversity within the team and its supporters, also condemned his words.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust said “senior leadership should make inclusion easier, not harder.”

Critics accused Ratcliffe of ‘hypocrisy’ and said he had chosen to base his home in Monaco to reduce his UK tax bill.

Published on February 20, 2026