Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks on
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has sparked a huge backlash with his comments
Manchester United have released a statement reaffirming their commitment to integration and inclusivity after their owner sparked a huge backlash with anti-immigration comments.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been forced to apologise after he . And United have now taken the unusual step of issuing a statement following the Ineos chief's controversial interview.
It reads: " prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club. Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of ; a city that anyone can call home.
"Since launching All Red All Equal in 2016, we have embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do.
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"We remain deeply committed to the principles and spirit of that campaign. They are reflected in our policies but also in our culture and are reinforced by our holding of the Premier League's Advanced Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard.
"Over the course of this season, we have participated in events and initiatives at our men's and women's games marking mental health, LGBTQ+ inclusion, No Room for Racism, violence against women and girls and homophobic chanting.
"We have also celebrated our supporters' clubs' events, including our Disabled Supporters' Association's Party and our Jewish Supporters' Club's Chanukah event.
"In the weeks and months ahead, we will be supporting further initiatives in these areas. This all sits alongside the incredible work which the Manchester United Foundation undertakes in and around Manchester on a daily basis.
"Manchester United reflects the unity and resilience of all the communities we are so privileged to represent. We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride."
Speaking to Sky News, Ratcliffe said: "You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK has been colonised. It's costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn't it? I mean, the population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it's 70 million. That's 12 million people."
The 73-year-old petrochemicals billionaire has since apologised for causing offence with his comments, which were factually incorrect and . "I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern but it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth," he said.
"My comments were made while answering questions about UK policy at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, where I was discussing the importance of economic growth, jobs, skills and manufacturing in the UK.
"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."
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