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Guardiola rebukes Ratcliffe, defends immigrants

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Pep Guardiola said blaming immigrants was wrong after Sir Jim Ratcliffe said immigrants had "colonised" the UK, comments condemned by sports figures and immigrant groups.

by Patrick Stokes

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patrickstokes.com
(Or it could just be a continuation of English-style xenophobia, which has a negative generalisation to offer about every single nationality or ethnic group no matter how obscure.)
February 14, 2026 at 7:06 AM
The Guardian
Blaming immigrants for problems is wrong, says Guardiola after Ratcliffe comments

‘Society is better when we embrace other cultures’ Haaland doubt for FA Cup tie, Rodri charged by FA Pep Guardiola has said that blaming people from overseas for a country’s problems is wrong, the Manchester City manager’s comments coming amid the fallout of Sir Jim Ratcliffe claiming the UK is being “colonised by immigrants”. Ratcliffe’s comment, made in an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, has led to widespread condemnation, including from within football, leading to Manchester United’s single largest minority owner saying he was sorry that his “choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe”. Continue reading. . .

Blaming immigrants for problems is wrong, says Guardiola after Ratcliffe comments
Reposts 18 11h

Reposted by Sabine Pahl, Amir Attaran

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wutangforchildren.bsky.social
The other day Manchester United’s co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said the UK had been "colonised by immigrants"….today there’s this billboard outside of Old Trafford 🔥….way to go Manchester 💪!
February 13, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Le Figaro
'It's so far from the truth': Guardiola and Itoje respond to Jim Ratcliffe's anti-immigrant remarks

The Catalan football coach Pep Guardiola and Maro Itoje, captain of England's rugby union team, have responded to Sir Jim Ratcliffe who said the United Kingdom had been 'colonized by immigrants'.

'It's so far from the truth': Guardiola and Itoje respond to Jim Ratcliffe's anti-immigrant remarks
Reposts 0 14h

Reposted by Steve Peers

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scotnational.bsky.social
Viewers have slammed Fiona Bruce's claim that Jim Ratcliffe is 'creating jobs' in the UK after Grangemouth closed under his ownership
Viewers slam Fiona Bruce claim Jim Ratcliffe 'creating jobs' after Grangemouth shut
www.thenational.scot
February 13, 2026 at 7:17 PM

Reposted by Eric Herring

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Reposted by Steve Peers

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bestforbritain.org
In 2020, Jim Ratcliffe moved his fortune to Monaco, saving himself an estimated £4 billion in tax.

In the same year, immigrants in the UK contributed around £20 billion in tax.

That says it all.
Guardian view on Sir Jim Ratcliffe: Britain does not need political lectures from a billionaire tax exile | Editorial
Editorial: Comments on the ‘colonisation of the UK’ by the co-owner of Manchester United were erroneous, crass and a gif
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 5:16 PM

by Bob Hudson

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bobhudson.bsky.social
Looks like the biggest scrounger looking for handouts from the UK taxpayer is Ratcliffe himself. And he doesn’t even live here! www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Ratcliffe says immigrants cost too much, while Ineos lobbies for state funding
Billionaire’s business has in recent years claimed UK and EU support for refineries and chemicals plants worth about €800m
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 4:05 PM

Reposted by Tariq Modood

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by Paul Davies

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pauljdavies.bsky.social
Very good. Ratcliffe crossed a line. He needs to own that.
February 13, 2026 at 3:08 PM
The Irish Times
Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘colonisation’ claim is illiterate, demeaning, says Irish immigrant group

‘Walk around and see the contribution of immigrants, ’ Irish in Britain tells Manchester United co-owner

Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘colonisation’ claim is illiterate, demeaning, says Irish immigrant group
Reposts 12 19h

Reposted by Steve Peers, Jonathan Portes, Paul Davies , and 1 more

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sundersays.bsky.social
I wrote for the Guardian about why Jim Ratcliffe's talk of Britain being "colonised" by immigrants crosses the line between legitimate debate and inflammatory rhetoric. It fuses echoes of Powellism with great replacement conspiracies of "civilisational erasure"
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Forget Jim Ratcliffe’s half-apology: to speak of immigrants ‘colonising’ Britain is wrong and sinister | Sunder Katwala
He fused an echo of Enoch Powell with the spirit of the far right’s great replacement theory. This is no way to progress a humane migration debate, says Sunder Katwala, director of British Future
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:54 PM

Reposted by Steve Peers, David Gadd, Mary Corcoran , and 2 more

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everyonehateselon.bsky.social
Not sure if Man United owner Jim Ratcliffe will see this being as he literally migrated to Monaco to avoid paying tax in the UK, but we wanted to put this up outside the stadium anyway….

📍 Old Trafford, Matt Busby Way
February 13, 2026 at 12:59 PM

Reposted by David Wiggins

6%
adamsmet66.bsky.social
Through his words Jim Ratcliffe told us who he is. Division and hatred must be rejected.
Adventure, ambition, courage and hope.
United we stand, divided we fall.
#mufc #manchesterunited #hopenothate
February 13, 2026 at 11:47 AM

Reposted by Cary L. Cooper

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Reposted by Steve Peers

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byrobdavies.bsky.social
The Guardian's Jillian Ambrose unpicks the many tens of millions in state support that Jim Ratcliffe's businesses have accepted, after the billionaire railed against people on benefits (and claimed Britain was being "colonised" by immigrants while himself having moved to tax-free Monaco).
Ratcliffe says immigrants cost too much, while Ineos lobbies for state funding
Billionaire’s business has in recent years claimed UK and EU support for refineries and chemicals plants worth about €800m
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 10:39 AM
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