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I deplore Jim Ratcliffe's words. (owner of Man U)

(558 Posts)
Wyllow3 Fri 13-Feb-26 09:42:19

I think Jim Ratcliffe was openly, and shockingly racist, and gave no credit for the value added to our economy over the years by hardworking immigrants

- we simply could not have managed without them, because our birthrate is not congruent with the needs of an aging population as many of us live much longer than we used to.
the NHS, the care profession, and many a person seeking a Polish Plumber (to give a well worn cliche an outing) could hardly exist.

His comments seek to divide us and to encourage racism, and yes, while he funds a footie club from afar haven for the tax dodger. Interviews with some of the fans, themselves sons of immigrants, show just how horrific his comments were - turning fans against fans.

Galaxy Mon 16-Feb-26 15:14:30

Yes I agree completely with all of that doodledog, my one concern is the 'funnelling' of completely unsuitable people into care work for example in order to get them off benefits. I am not saying that is happening or is about to happen, but you do see it in quite a few discussions 'there are plenty of vacancies in care they should go and work there rather than claiming benefits'.

Maremia Mon 16-Feb-26 15:15:54

That would be horrendous for the folk in Care.

Rosie51 Mon 16-Feb-26 15:18:57

I agree Doodledog.

Further I don't understand how anyone could think it morally acceptable to live on benefits provided in part by people doing a job you consider beneath you, because you feel entitled to only work in a certain area and at certain times. What if the whole nation decided 9-5 office jobs was all they were willing to do? Those entitled people would be shouting the loudest at the inconvenience to their lives.

MayBee70 Mon 16-Feb-26 15:21:07

Does anyone remember earning related that people were able to claim for up to a year if they lost their job which gave them time to find another job and still be able to pay their mortgage during that time? I was really shocked when it was scrapped.

Maremia Mon 16-Feb-26 15:22:30

Who scrapped that?

Maremia Mon 16-Feb-26 15:23:28

Yes but there's 'deciding not to' and there's 'not being fit to'.

Rosie51 Mon 16-Feb-26 15:24:16

I wouldn't agree with anyone being forced into care work, which should be much more highly respected and remunerated. Perhaps if it was there wouldn't be such shortages in staff. Care workers are so poorly paid I wonder how they manage to live, especially in areas like London.

Maremia Mon 16-Feb-26 15:26:02

orly, how many of our essential services are at this point in time owned by foreigners?
So, in that way, we are already owned by outsiders.
Who allowed that to happen? Who sold off our essential services?

Susieq62 Mon 16-Feb-26 15:27:15

Let us be clear that this man got all his figures completely wrong! He had taken money from us as tax payers to support his industry! He does not pay tax in this country and his language , rhetoric was entirely unjustified ! I live in a very multicultural city where many people have worked hard, paid their taxes, contributed to all walks of life ! It is by no means perfect , nowhere is! However, what really concerns me is that many on the thread accepted his words without considering the consequences or even challenging his remarks ! I thought , as women, we had higher values! I was wrong ! Many contributors on here really disappoint me in their comments and nasty ideologies !!

Desire Mon 16-Feb-26 15:30:10

it is quite interesting coming from him who immigrated to Monaco.. why does he care when he doesn't even live here

Glenfinnan Mon 16-Feb-26 15:30:54

Think a few of us agree with his overall comments but it was very clumsily put

Meandrogrog Mon 16-Feb-26 15:41:38

MaizieD

^Most people in my experience do agree with sundowngirl, that is why Reform are surging in the polls.^

Far from 'surging in the polls' Reform is actually slightly down and flatlining at the moment. Perhaps it's reached it's peak.
Farage is also the second least popular party leader, just below Starmer.

You probably just live in an echo chamber. Most people I know detest Farage and Reform. It means nothing really.

We will have to wait and see what happens in the local elections. Should be interesting.

StoneofDestiny Mon 16-Feb-26 15:53:40

Lemonjam. I totally agree with the methods of the Right Wing throughout history. Blame the minority, those least able to defend themselves, stir up animosity between communities and create fear of the stranger.
I despair when I hear of people talking about ‘undocumented people’ ‘fighting age’ people to describe groups. And to hear the sweeping assumption that all males in ‘asylum hostels’ are paedophiles. If we could learn anything from the illustrious team of Epstein, Prince Andrew and Trump it is that all the documentation or known lineage in the world does not provide women with safety!

Maremia Mon 16-Feb-26 15:57:55

Yes, he is a fund grabbing, tax avoiding, immigrant hypocrite.

StoneofDestiny Mon 16-Feb-26 16:09:28

At a random guess I suspect if we removed all gransnetters who have an immigrant background, we’d have very few gransnetters. So many descendants from an Irish and Italian heritage before we start going through more recent waves of migrants (or even more ancient ones). Yaxley Lennon who is always banging on about immigrants has an Irish mother. Trump has a Scottish mother. Elon Musk is South African. So many Brits moved to settle in Australia, Spain, France and let’s not forget Monaco.

What is so transparent to most of us is that the methods the Right Wing acolytes of Farage are using is just the same as Trump who copied Adolf! Have we learned nothing from history.

aanncc Mon 16-Feb-26 16:11:13

I don’t think he was racist at all Just saying as it is and what most of us think.

StoneofDestiny Mon 16-Feb-26 16:50:27

aanncc

I wonder why he didn’t express his disapproval of Britain colonising about a quarter of the Earth’s land area? Does he have no view on Britain taking land in Africa, Australia, North America, Asia, New Zealand?

His use of the word ‘colonising’ in this context is highly inaccurate and clearly has huge racist overtones to instil fear and division.

Do some of those who think his words are all right even u destined what colonise means? A simple explanation below.

Colonise: to take over a country that is not yours, using force, and to exert political and cultural control over it

4allweknow Mon 16-Feb-26 16:54:38

I don't think the reference was intended to cover all immigrants, suspect it was reference to those who arrive with none of the necessary skills we need or illegals. His own football team has a few "immigrant" players on work visas as do many other sports.

Tuliptree Mon 16-Feb-26 16:56:09

aanncc

I don’t think he was racist at all Just saying as it is and what most of us think.

If only ‘thinking’ had something to do with it 😂

StoneofDestiny Mon 16-Feb-26 17:20:50

4allweknow
I don't think the reference was intended to cover all immigrants, suspect it was reference to those who arrive with none of the necessary skills we need or illegals.

No different to the mobs touring our communities wearing the national flag like capes and screaming at asylum hotels then.

These hooligans cannot distinguish between immigrants/illegal immigrants/asylum seekers either.

I'd assume nothing - if he chooses to speak publically then he needs to say what he means accurately. I think he said what he meant and aligned himself to the racist mobs blighting our communities and now turning their anger on the RNLI for heavens sake. For sure, they are aligning themselves to him!

Spec1alk Mon 16-Feb-26 17:26:25

Well said! The hypocrisy of the man is breathtaking

Momac55 Mon 16-Feb-26 17:49:46

So do I

lemsip Mon 16-Feb-26 17:51:06

Galaxy

Yes immigrants shouldn't be allowed to hold views on immigration that differ to yours.
This is sarcasm again

yes, The lowest form of wit!

MaizieD Mon 16-Feb-26 17:56:13

orly

Sago

“The owner of one of the world's largest chemical companies, Ineos, said: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in.”

I totally agree with him.

Although I would go as far as to use the word invaded rather than colonised.

I agree. My ex-Marine brother in law while working post service as a weapons instructor in the Middle East was told by one of his "students" "We don't need to invade your country because we will own it 100 years"

Well, I remember being told at secondary school by a Roman Catholic girl that RCs had big families so that they would become in the majority in Britain,

That was 60+ years ago. It hasn't happened yet...

Young people do say silly things...

Paperbackwriter Mon 16-Feb-26 18:17:39

pably15

Yes I agree with him,they are not all hard working.

There are an awful lot of what you might call 'indigenous' people here who do absolutely sod all as well.