'Offensive and wrong': PM tells Ratcliffe to apologise for 'colonised' comments

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sharply rebuked billionaire businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe during a press briefing on Thursday, demanding an apology for the INEOS chairman’s controversial remarks regarding immigration and British history. Speaking from 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister responded to recent comments made by the Manchester United co-owner in which Ratcliffe suggested that certain modern immigration trends were akin to Britain being "colonised." Starmer labeled these assertions as both "offensive and wrong," emphasizing that such rhetoric is counterproductive to national unity and misrepresents the complexities of contemporary border policy. The tension between the government and one of the UK’s wealthiest individuals erupted after Ratcliffe participated in a series of media appearances to discuss the economic and social state of the country. During these interviews, the petrochemical tycoon criticized the government's inability to manage net migration figures, using provocative language that implied the nation was losing its cultural identity to foreign influence. His choice of the word "colonised" drew immediate fire from human rights advocates and political figures alike, who argued that the term trivializes the history of the British Empire while unfairly targeting immigrant communities. In his detailed response, Starmer underscored that while the debate over migration levels is a legitimate area of political discourse, the language used by public figures must remain respectful and factually grounded. The Prime Minister’s office clarified that the government remains focused on a balanced approach to skilled labor and border security, but will not tolerate descriptors that alienate legal residents or incite social division. This public clash marks a significant moment of friction between the Labour leadership and Britain’s industrial elite, highlighting the sensitive nature of the ongoing national conversation regarding demographic change and economic reform.