Jim Ratcliffe Says Britain Is 'On the Slide': Taxes, Energy and Immigration
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United and founder of the petrochemicals company Ineos, said Britain is "on the slide" from when it had "the greatest empire in the world" in an interview for the BBC's Big Boss Interview podcast. The remarks were reported on 18 and 19 September 2026. He linked the decline to high taxes and immigration. Ratcliffe has lived in Monaco since 2020. The Guardian
"I think the UK, unfortunately, it was a fantastic place," Ratcliffe said. "We were a great people. We won two world wars." He said he had "no confidence" in the UK. Asked if he planned to return, he said: "Not at the moment, no." He does not plan to return. He also said the UK had "a bit of a green eye towards wealth at the moment," which he said was encouraging the wealthiest to move away. Manchester Evening News
On taxes, the UK's tax burden has risen to about 35.3% of GDP. Think of GDP as the size of the whole national pie, and the tax burden as the slice taken in tax. This is the highest level since the Second World War. The Office for Budget Responsibility says the burden remains well below the average of 14 western European economies. In response, the government said it was working to deliver growth and that business investment had increased in the last two years. The Guardian
On energy, Ratcliffe called for more investment in the North Sea. He called the UK government's decision not to grant licences for the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas fields "insanity." Licences here are formal permissions to develop new fields. He warned the UK could "run out of gas" during a cold winter spell. The Guardian
The September interview followed an earlier dispute over language about immigration. Seven months before September 2026, Ratcliffe told Sky News the UK was being "colonised by immigrants." He later said he was sorry if those remarks had "offended some people." Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned those comments and called for an apology in February 2026. Ratcliffe said at the time that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs. The Football Association took no disciplinary action against Ratcliffe over the "colonised" remarks. Reuters
Separately, Manchester United revoked 685 season tickets following a ticket-touting crackdown.
The broader context here is that tax, North Sea licensing, and migration are usually handled separately. Each has its own department, forecasts and rules for permission. When they are joined in one critique by a major industrial owner and football co-owner, each part of government answers in its own way. The Treasury points to investment data. Energy officials point to licensing policy. Football authorities rule on conduct codes.
Looking at what this means for policymakers and stakeholders, the exchange shows the limits on both sides. A non-resident investor can state lack of confidence without changing investment decisions already on record, while the government can point to overall growth in investment without answering who leaves or where mobile money goes. For Manchester United supporters, the season-ticket action and the co-owner's national comments will be read together, even though they raise different governance questions. The next test will be whether licensing, tax and migration decisions change, not whether the language gets sharper.
