INEOS Grenadiers owner Jim Ratcliffe states UK is being 'colonized by immigrants' and even Britain's prime minister has called for an apology
Cycling
Jim Ratcliffe is one of Great Britain's most influential figures, as he is the owner of INEOS. The British billionaire is a also an owner of the INEOS Grenadiers and the Manchester United football club; and his recent comments against the UK's immigrant population alongside false information has sparked a wave of backlash, and even an apology demand from British prime minister Keir Starmer.
Ratcliffe acquired the INEOS team back in 2018, after the sponsor took over Team Sky, pro cycling's most successful team of the 2010's and a multiple-time Tour de France winner, with three different riders. The team won the Tour with Egan Bernal in its first year under a new name, but has since seen its influence in the cycling sphere diminish, in the backdrop of the growth from UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Team Visma | Lease a Bike.
It's budget has remained around the same with a €50 million euros a year investment, and the grand majority comes from INEOS, the petrochemical company owned by Ratcliffe. It is not the first time that the 73-year old has made controversial remarks, however potentially none have reached the heights that his recent comments on an interview with Sky News have stirred up.
“You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK has been colonized. It's costing too much money," he said. Ratcliffe incorrectly pointed out that the country's population was that of 58 million back in 2020, and 70 million currently - using that as a great part of the reason to justify his anti-immigration stance. "The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn't it?" he added.
Over the past decade, the topic of immigration has been very divisive in the United Kingdom, with plenty political figures strongly opposing it, and with an ever-growing trend of racist and xenophobic remarks towards minorities in the country. This is the case in many European nations, as the rate of immigration has grown over the past few years.
The comments gain yet another dimension when taking into consideration that Ratcliffe himself does not have his official residence in the UK, but instead in the tax haven of Monaco where he enjoys from significant economic benefits. As of 2021, 68% of Monaco's population, including Ratcliffe, is immigrant.
British prime minister demands apology
Because of Ratcliffe's influence and exposure in the British media circle, the comments have gone a long way and have reached none other than prime minister Keir Starmer, who himself quotes Sky News' publication on X, responding to Ratcliffe's words with short yet clear statement:
"Offensive and wrong. Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country. Jim Ratcliffe should apologize".
Belgian pundit Benji Naesen, currently a resident in the UK, has also vocalized his criticism of the British anti-immigration stance which often does not correspond to the reality on the ground.
"I'm sorry but it's hard to see people lie about how legal immigration to the United Kingdom works, and say nothing about it. I am a legal immigrant to the UK. In 2023, I had to spent roughly £5,000 for a 2.5 years visa, NHS surcharge, biometric appointment and language tests," he pointed out.
"I will have to spend £4,000 this year, to extend my visa by another 2.5 years, after which, I'll need to pay again for indefinite leave-to-remain. On top of that, as a legal immigrant, I am understandably required to pay taxes, national insurance and can NOT claim benefits".
"This on-going myth that legal immigrants are free-loading on UK taxpayers is complete bullshit. If anything, I'm subsidising them," he concluded, arguing that in many such cases, including his, it is a 'net benefit to your country'.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- He lives in Monaco
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - It's also highly significant for Lorenzo Finn as he won there last year. Also Mateo Ramírez and Henrique Bravo if they goRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- This is a phenomenal course design. I do wish that they'd stretch these tours for the women to at least 2 weeks.RidesHills03-11-2026
- This is an amazing route, honestly. Let's hope that it attracts riders to make it a compelling and competitive race. Side bar amusement: going to Slovenia and passing pretty close to Pogačar's house. I wonder if they were tempting him to get all 3 jerseys at once after winning the Tour and Vuelta. After all, only a very few have ever had all three at the same time (Froome being the last).RidesHills03-11-2026
- He was a child two years agoRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route aswell. Col d'Arpy is a toughieRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horrible. Montaner is also used in the U23s, in Giro del BelvedereRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- I remember when Mark went through that. He was really experiencing lows and thought about quiting many times. It took him a long time to recover. I, like many others were overjoyed when he came back. I hope Lafay has been tested. I wish him the best.Paggss03-11-2026
- That sucks for him. I've always wondered what guys like him do after retiring from cycling - go back to uni? He's still a very young manCrashjames03-11-2026
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