Manchester United have launched an announcement pledging to “proceed to symbolize our individuals, our metropolis and our followers with objective and satisfaction”.
The membership made the announcement shortly after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe mentioned on Thursday he was sorry for his “alternative of language” whereas talking about immigration in a Sky Information interview on Wednesday.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves have been among the many public figures to name on Ratcliffe to apologise, with Reeves calling the 73-year-old’s feedback “unacceptable” and “disgusting”.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe interview: What have Manchester United mentioned?
United didn’t instantly reference Ratcliffe, who acquired a 27.7% stake within the 20-time English champions in 2024, or the interview within the assertion, which started by emphasising that the membership “prides itself” on being inclusive and welcoming, in addition to having a various group of gamers, employees and followers all over the world reflecting “a metropolis that anybody can name house”.
The membership reaffirmed a deep dedication to its All Pink All Equal initiative, which was launched in 2016 and primarily based round equality, range and inclusion, and the Premier League’s Superior Equality, Variety and Inclusion Normal.
The assertion highlighted occasions and initiatives at males’s and ladies’s video games “marking psychological well being, LGBTQ+ inclusion, No Room for Racism, violence towards ladies and ladies and homophobic chanting”.
“We now have additionally celebrated our supporters’ golf equipment’ occasions, together with our Disabled Supporters’ Assocation’s Christmas Get together and our Jewish Supporters’ Membership’s Chanukah occasion,” they mentioned.
“Within the weeks and months forward, we will likely be supporting additional initiatives in these areas. This all sits alongside the unimaginable work which the Manchester United Basis undertakes in and round Manchester each day.
“Manchester United displays the unity and resilience of all of the communities we’re so privileged to symbolize.”
You may learn the complete assertion right here.
Man United: What was Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s apology for?
Ratcliffe, who’s the founding father of chemical giants Ineos, was criticised for saying the UK has been “colonised by immigrants”.
“You may’t have an financial system with 9 million individuals on advantages and big ranges of immigrants coming in,” the billionaire added. “I imply, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing an excessive amount of cash.”
Plenty of the claims Ratcliffe made have been incorrect, in line with BBC Information. You may learn their fact-check on his remarks about about immigration and advantages right here.
Main anti-discrimination group Kick It Out known as the feedback “disgraceful and deeply divisive”, whereas Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham mentioned they “go towards all the pieces for which Manchester has historically stood”.
Jim Ratcliffe apology: How Manchester United co-owner responded
“I’m sorry that my alternative of language has offended some individuals within the UK and Europe and precipitated concern however you will need to increase the difficulty of managed and well-managed immigration that helps financial progress,” Ratcliffe’s assertion mentioned.
“My feedback have been made whereas answering questions on UK coverage on the European Trade Summit in Antwerp, the place I used to be discussing the significance of financial progress, jobs, abilities and manufacturing within the UK.
“My intention was to emphasize that governments should handle migration alongside funding in abilities, trade and jobs in order that long-term prosperity is shared by everybody. It’s essential that we keep an open debate on the challenges going through the UK.”
Talking to BBC Politics Stay, Conservative peer and former transport secretary Mark Harper advised Ratcliffe’s apology might have been “somewhat extra beneficiant”.
Critics of Ratcliffe’s remarks have mentioned they’re divisive, inflammatory and inaccurate.
“We recognize there are reliable debates round immigration… however utilizing phrases like that stokes the flames,” mentioned Asif Mahmud, the co-founder of the official Manchester United Muslim Supporters Membership, likening the language to phrases utilized by the far proper.
Mahmud mentioned there was “fairly a little bit of shock” inside the membership of the Muslim Supporters Membership.
Gillian Mackay, the co-leader of the Scottish Inexperienced Get together, mentioned the language “does nothing to resolve the actual challenges individuals face, like the price of dwelling, and as a substitute solely advantages those that search to divide communities.”
Downing Avenue accepted Ratcliffe’s apology, whereas a number of experiences mentioned that the Soccer Affiliation (FA) is inspecting whether or not Ratcliffe’s feedback have introduced the sport into disrepute.
“It’s a matter that our authorized and regulation crew are working to,” the FA’s chief government, Mark Bullingham, mentioned.
How did Jim Ratcliffe make his cash? Internet value, background
The son of a joiner, Ratcliffe grew up on a council property in Higher Manchester and labored within the power and chemical substances sector earlier than mortgaging his home in 1992 to assist part-fund a deal to purchase a chemical substances firm being offered by BP.
By 1994, the corporate was valued at £100 million when it floated on the London Inventory Alternate. Ratcliffe left in 1998 and based Ineos, constructing huge wealth and remaining chairman at present.
He was knighted in 2018 for companies to enterprise and funding and is ranked seventh on the Sunday Instances Wealthy Record, which places his web value at £17 billion.
Based mostly in Monaco, Ratcliffe’s finalisation of his £1.25bn deal to put money into United included taking up soccer operations at one of many largest golf equipment on the planet recreation.
Ratcliffe has endured a testing begin to his bid to revive United as one of many superpowers of English soccer, together with a restructuring that featured 450 redundancies, an overhaul of senior administration and the sacking of two managers, most lately overseeing the dismissal of Ruben Amorim following a poor first half of the 2025/26 season.
