The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) has issued a formal statement of no confidence in the club's ownership, calling for co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to leave following controversial comments he made about immigration and Britain's decline during a BBC interview.
Ratcliffe, the billionaire founder of petrochemical company Ineos who holds a 27.7% stake in United, told the BBC's Big Boss Interview that the UK was "on the slide" from its days as a global power, pointing to high taxes and immigration levels as key factors behind the country's struggles. "We had the greatest empire in the world. We were a great people. We won two world wars. We're good, honest folk," he said. "But unfortunately, at the moment, I think the UK is on the slide. It's quite difficult to see how we arrest it."
The remarks have reignited tensions between Ratcliffe and sections of the United fanbase, coming seven months after he sparked outrage by claiming Britain had been "colonised by immigrants" — a comment he later apologised for, saying he was sorry if it had "offended some people."
In its statement posted on social media, MUMSC said it had hoped Ratcliffe had learned from that earlier controversy. "This week, Sir Jim has again placed immigration and people receiving benefits at the centre of his explanation for Britain's problems, arguing that nobody is 'tough enough' to deal with either," the group said. "We find these latest comments deeply disappointing and completely unacceptable."
The supporters' group emphasised the diversity of the club's community, stating that United's "players, staff, stewards, security teams and supporters come from different countries, cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds," and that this diversity "isn't a weakness of Manchester United. It is part of Manchester United." The statement also stressed that the club does not "belong emotionally to investment funds, shareholders or billionaires."
Beyond the immigration comments, MUMSC voiced broader frustrations with the ownership under both Ratcliffe and the Glazer family, citing rising ticket prices, a deteriorating stadium, and on-field decline. The group noted that many fans had hoped Ratcliffe's arrival would bring meaningful change after years of Glazer control, but said those hopes have not materialised. Manchester United currently sit 13th in the Premier League after four matches, and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup in midweek following a 3-2 home defeat to Brighton.
"After years of decline, broken promises and repeated failure, Manchester United Muslim Supporters' Club has lost confidence in the current ownership structure of Manchester United Football Club," the statement concluded. "Enough is enough. It is time for change. The Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe must go."
Ratcliffe, a tax resident of Monaco since 2020 who campaigned for Brexit in 2016, has overseen sweeping changes at Old Trafford since acquiring his stake, including 450 redundancies, a management overhaul, and the dismissals of two managers. His comments have previously drawn a sharp response from within the club's hierarchy — following his initial remarks about immigration earlier this year, United stated it prides itself on being inclusive, while a source close to the Glazer family reportedly described the family as "horrified" by the comments.
Ratcliffe also used the BBC interview to criticise UK energy policy, warning that Britain could "run out of gas" during a cold winter due to a lack of investment in North Sea oil and gas fields, calling the government's stance "insanity." A government spokesperson responded by expressing confidence in the UK's energy security and pointing to rising business investment in recent years.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football and BBC Sport Football.