Ratcliffe apologises after ‘colonised’ immigration remark (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: We start the programme with some breaking news around the comments made by Sir Jim Radcliffe, the billionaire co-owner of Manchester United. We have just had news that he has apologised for comments that he made when he said the UK has been colonised by immigrants. Now in the past few minutes or so, he has said, I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe. I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe. And then went on to say, it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth. So that comment just coming in the past few minutes or so from Sir Jim Radcliffe, apologising but saying it's important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration. So this comes after we had pressure from the Prime Minister of the UK, Sakhir Starmer, who said the comments he made were offensive and wrong and said that he should apologise. Sakhir saying that Britain was a proud, tolerant and diverse country. And that was when he also called on Sir Jim to apologise. Let's bring in our political correspondent, Nick Urdley, who is in Westminster for us. We have just had this apology through from Sir Jim. What other details do you have of any, Nick? When did he say it? Where was he?

[00:01:28] Speaker 2: What I can tell you is the political reaction to this has been pretty vociferous over the last 12 hours, actually. The Government has been very critical of Sir Jim Radcliffe's comments. We heard, as you said, the Prime Minister calling for an apology in the last half hour. The Chancellor has called the comments disgusting. There is a wider question here, I think, about immigration, which has been coming up at Westminster. It's interesting that Reform UK have taken a very different tack. Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, saying that mass migration has changed the character of a number of areas and Labour might try to ignore it, but Reform won't. What does seem to have frustrated a lot of people at Westminster, though, is the language used by Sir Jim Radcliffe in his statement. It seems this apology, which I'm going to be honest, I don't have the full thing in front of me, but from the lines that have been sent from it, he's saying that he's sorry for his choice of language offending some people.

[00:02:28] Speaker 1: Nick, I'm just going to interrupt you because we have just received the statement. I'm going to read the statement so that we have it in full and then I'll get you to respond with some of the reaction that we've been having over the past 24 hours. Sir Jim says, I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern, but it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth. My comments were made while answering questions about UK policy at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, where I was discussing the importance of economic growth, jobs, skills and manufacturing in the UK. My intention was to stress that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs so that long-term prosperity is shared by everyone. It is critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK. So that is the statement that has just been sent through, Nick.

[00:03:23] Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think the question that I suspect a lot of politicians will be asked over the next few hours is, do they see that as a fulsome apology, or do they think the particular language of saying, I'm sorry that my choice of language offended people, goes far enough? I mean, the broader context for this, of course, is it's been a really bruising week for the government and I suspect the Prime Minister was more than happy to be in a place where he could talk about something other than his own leadership. Sometimes it's like Downing Street is as precarious as the Manchester United dugout at the moment. What the government has tried to do is say that these comments are completely wrong and that immigration has been good for the UK, but the context is really important. There's no doubt that there is a debate about mass migration going on in the UK Parliament. There's no doubt that this government under Keir Starmer has wanted to look tougher on that issue. And even though Sir Jim Ratcliffe's comments and his particular language have caused a lot of controversy and led to a lot of criticism, including that call for an apology, there are also some, particularly on the political right, who think he has a point and think that that conversation is one that is going to be absolutely crucial to British politics over the next few years.

[00:04:40] Speaker 1: Nick, great to have you with us, responding so quickly as well to this breaking news that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has apologised for his choice of language.