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

Opal

Caleo

Grandmabatty

It's easy to see where Reform get their followers!
I have no time for anyone who has a multi national football team rabbiting on about 'colonisation' while he himself lives in Monaco to avoid paying tax. Hardly the action of a loyal Brit. In addition, he closed the local refinery where I live, despite appeals to encourage a local buy out. Hes made my son in law as well as hundreds of others redundant. So forgive me if I consider him a grade A shit

I am with you, Grandma B. Moreover if anyone cares to read his 'apology' , they will see a classic example of a travesty of apology .

Reform supporters support fascism.

Well, that didn't take long did it?

"If you support Reform, you're a fascist." says Caleo. Typical left wing b*****x.

What I support is a strong economy, controlled immigration, a fair, honest, hardworking and lawful society, a functioning and effective NHS and for my country's history and culture to be respected and protected. If that makes me a fascist, then so be it.

Thanks ,Opal, for naming me "typically left wing". So true.

I agree with Wyllow too. It could be said that you can’t have an economy where the wealthy squirrel their money away in tax havens.

Radcliffe is an emigrant, ie an immigrant to Monaco himself- to avoid paying taxes in UK- in fact anywhere in the world as Monaco is a tax free haven. He has no high moral ground. Plus he got all his facts wrong, not only on increase in population size figures, but also number of people on benefits and inference that immigrants are predominantly claiming benefits. Radcliffe has not apologised for any of that of course, solely that he is sorry if some people were offended by the "choice language" he used. DARVO- i.e. minimising the offence he caused and failing to take any accountability for his own values and actions.

Radcliffe is currently lobbying for FURTHER state aid from the UK and the EU to keep afloat his sprawling business empire yet has £billions of his own money, currently ranked as seventh richest UK person, worth an estimated £17 billion and lives in a tax haven. He has already received euros800 million from UK and EU governments in recent years o help his refineries and chemical plans due to downturn for the industry.

Aside from Sate Pension benefits the majority of UK benefits are claimed by UK and Irish residents. Plus many of Universal Credit benefit claimants do of course work but receive low wages/ have high housing costs.

Perhaps Radcliffe himself could make a contribution to UK by paying tax to help society? No- well perhaps he could instead use his own fortune instead of asking the UK for handouts to keep his business empire afloat and make more profits for him? No- well perhaps he could sell his companies, retire, enjoy his huge fortune and stop making divisive, racist comments about the UK? No- pigs might fly.

Grandmabatty 10.01 👍

He lives in a "tax haven colony" 😂 and does not pay any let alone a fair share of taxes himself 🤨

I imagine they will delete these threads because what Ratcliffe said has already been judged racist and condemned widely. Am sure there are some who agree with him, and the mods don’t want to open up that whole can of worms. Could get nasty very quickly.
A serious discussion about levels of immigration doesn’t start by throwing offensive remarks around, it starts with looking at political solutions which up till now have been sadly lacking, and that is mainly due to Brexit, which is why we need to renew ties with the EU and work out a sensible policy, with legal routes and migrants stopped in European countries they first enter to be processed. This will stop small boats for sure.
But if people just want to say something offensive I am all in favour of the mods deleting threads like this.

I find all sorts of things offensive, mainly people saying when things should be deleted.

Oreo

You can consider him however you like Grandmabatty it’s a free country ( so far.)
I agree with his core message even he exaggerated and got the numbers wrong.
There are far too many not working and on benefits and immigration is too high, even the government knows it and is working on it so they say.
It’s nothing to do with being Reform voters, many Labour and Conservative voters will agree with his message.

From what I’ve read about him some of his workers are on benefits because he pays them so badly. So, as he doesn’t pay tax in this country the immigrants who do work and pay tax are subsidising him.

Wyllow3

1960srelic

I agree with Wyllow. I've seen many health professionals in recent years and almost all are immigrants. I'm very grateful to all of them.

I had a recent hospital stay and cannot express my gratitude enough for the kindness that many recent incomers have especially I have noticed respect for older people becuase in their culture of origin families do look after their own, however poor they are.
Also enjoyed some conversations about similarities and differences of culture. Life is full of interest if you are curious, not a grumbler.

Their contribution is incredibly valuable, and many patients are grateful for the care and dedication they provide.

I agree with what he said.

Opal

I agree with everything he said.

So do I.

I can’t believe people are STILL posting about how grateful we all are for immigrants who work in the NHS!

I am sure we are ALL very grateful to those people who came here LEGALLY. There is a difference.

I don’t think he was referring to just illegal immigration though…

Like I said, I think it takes about 6 years before some things register.

Worth telling someone to do something in real life about xyz, literally about 100 times.
It will eventually sink in and they will do it.

I did get to about 18 times with someone, over a matter of years.
The penny dropped.

Ratcliffe knows exactly what he's doing - sowing the seeds for Reform support so that his companies will benefit from their policies IF they are ever elected. Meanwhile, he will sit in his palace in Monaco, contributing nothing to the society which gave him the opportunity to accumulate his vast wealth in the first place. What an obnoxious hypocrite he is.

The money flowing into Reform will be tremendous; it's how Elections are won.
Ratcliffe will not be on his own and more stuff like this is going to appear in the news.

MayBee70

I don’t think he was referring to just illegal immigration though…

No he wasn't, Maybee.

He was talking about people who need to claim in-work benefits (because they are poorly paid - but he didn’t mention that he’s one of the poor payers and how many people he has made redundant while claiming millions in subsidies from the UK government).

He was talking about people who need to claim health-related benefits which includes people claiming PIP, Disabled Living Allowance, which is paid for children under 16 with care or mobility needs due to a disability or health condition and Attendance Allowance.

Draw your own conclusions about a man who goes into tax exile to save £4 billion in taxes while wishing to deny others, including the disabled and the elderly, care and a basic standard of living.

Frankly, I am shocked that so many here agree with him.

MayBee70

I don’t think he was referring to just illegal immigration though…

Of course he wasn’t. That is the Titanic sized elephant in the room. I genuinely think some people must be walking round with their eyes shut.

Millions of people will agree with him.

I see Kandinsky that you follow his number ability. Millions? Wheres your evidence?

If I had his kind of money and resources I would keep as much of it as possible out of the grubby hands of the tax man.

I agree broadly with what he said. No one ever asked me if I wanted to vote for mass immigration and I know what my answer would have been had it been put to a vote.

I agree with many (but not all) of Reform's policies. I consider myself a hard right conservative.

I can’t go into detail but I know people that have worked for or had dealings with Ineos and none of it is good.

Someone said Farage was Statesmanlike! What! Anyone who supports trump would never get my vote or friendship. Just bear in mind that trump is a liar, has assaulted children (girls under 18) is racist (Obama lives rent free in his head), is unable to speak in sensible sentences - I could go on. Anyone who supports trump and consequently Reform, are sadly lacking in humanity.

I also agree with what Jim Ratcliffe said. He made a mistake with the dates he quoted, he obviously meant since 2000 and not 2020.

In the final year before he left the UK he had paid over £110M in taxes, the third highest individual taxpayer at that time.

"Millions of people will agree with him". Really- how do you know and how are you measuring that? Will they be agreeing with his inaccurate figures and information? Will they be agreeing with his racist and inflammatory comments amount immigrants and they are "colonsing the UK? Will they eb agreeing that he can be allowed to be an immigrant himself ( in Monaco) and pay no UK taxes? Part or all of what he said?

Which parts of what he said do you agree with?