Ratcliffe's UK 'slide' remarks spark fan group no-confidence vote

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire co-owner of Manchester United, has sparked controversy by declaring the United Kingdom is "on the slide" due to immigration and welfare spending, prompting a statement of no confidence from a prominent fan group. The comments, made in a BBC interview, have drawn criticism from a government minister and reignited debate about the businessman's role at the football club. Ratcliffe, who is also the founder of the petrochemicals company INEOS and has been a tax resident in Monaco since 2020, stated that the UK was in decline from its historical peak. "We had the greatest empire in the world. We were a great people. We won two world wars. We're good, honest folk. But unfortunately, at the moment, I think the UK is on the slide," he said. He argued that politicians are not "tough enough" to address what he called the "immigration problem" and the "benefits problem." The remarks prompted a swift response from the Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC). In a detailed public statement, the group issued a formal "statement of no confidence" in Ratcliffe and the club's majority owners, the Glazer family, calling for them to leave.