Reform leader Nigel Farage told YouTube viewers 'Jim Ratcliffe is right'
Nigel Farage in his video defending Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Nigel Farage in his video defending Sir Jim Ratcliffe(Image: Youtube: Nigel Farage)
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Nigel Farage has given his support to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, after the Manchester United co-owner issued an apology of sorts over his claim the UK had been 'colonised by immigrants'. Failsworth-born billionaire Sir Jim sparked anger after making the suggestion in a Sky News interview on Wednesday (February 13).
The Ineos founder incorrectly said the UK's population had grown by 12 million people since 2020, adding: "The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn't it?" His comments attracted scorn from Sir Keir Starmer, while mayor Andy Burnham described them as 'inaccurate, insulting and inflammatory'.
Sir Jim also drew criticism from the Manchester United Supporters' Trust and the team's Muslim Supporters Club, while the club itself went on to issue a statement insisting it is 'an inclusive and welcoming club'. He went on to issue a statement on Thursday, stating he was 'sorry that my choice of language has offended some people'.
But the 73-year-old has since been given support by Reform UK's leader Mr Farage, who posted a video on his YouTube page insisting that 'Jim Ratcliffe is right'. He told viewers that Sir Jim had 'caused outrage' in his Sky News interview, while admitting that 'colonised' was a 'controversial word'.
But Mr Farage went on to repeat the claims made about population growth and 'nine million people on benefits', before adding: "Just think about this. You ask yourself why public services have diminished, you ask yourself why rents have gone through the roof. The population explosion has done that.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been defended after issuing an apology of sorts
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been defended after issuing an apology of sorts(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
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"And then 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. One million people in this country don't speak any English at all, four million people living in this country barely speak passable English.
"And that's the point that he was making - that big areas of our towns and cities have been changed into something completely different from what they were. And I don't really care if Number 10 is in uproar or if much of mainstream media find his comments too difficult - I believe, firmly, that Jim Ratcliffe is right."
Mr Farage's claims about language have been questioned since the video was published. According to the 2021 Census, 4.1 million people were 'proficient' in English but did not speak it as their main language, while 880,000 could not speak English well and only 161,000 could not speak it at all.
Mr Farage was also challenged on the issue by Sky News last night, where he was asked if he believed the term 'colonised' was offensive. He replied: "I believe it's probably in the dictionary definition correct, but perhaps people aren't quite ready for it."
Sir Jim's claims have been fact-checked following his initial interview. The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show there were 8.4 million people claiming Universal Credit in December 2025, including 2.2 million who were in work.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe on Sky News(Image: Sky News)
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Meanwhile, net migration to the UK was 204,000 in the year up to June 2025, a decrease of 69 per cent on the previous year. The UK population stood at 69.5 million in mid-2025, up from 66.7 million in 2020, and 57.4 million back in 1991.
At the time of the last census, around 16 per cent of people living in the UK were born abroad. Sir Jim has been a Monaco resident since 2020.