Anas Sarwar: Jim Ratcliffe ‘colonising’ comments ‘disgusting and offensive’

Anas Sarwar has described comments made about immigration to the UK by Jim Ratcliffe as “utterly disgusting and offensive”.

The billionaire, who founded major chemicals group Ineos, said in an interview with Sky News that the UK was being “colonised by immigrants”.

The comment has caused significant political backlash, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer also describing it as “offensive and wrong”.

Reports say sporting body the FA is now examining the whether the comments brought the game into disrepute, given Ratcliffe also part-owns Man Utd football club.

Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s FMQs, Sarwar said: “Frankly, I'm sick of these billionaires who leech off the state, destroy our industries in this country, move away to other countries so they can avoid paying tax here, and they want to comment on what’s right and wrong in our country, Scotland, or across the UK.

“It's frankly disgusting and disgraceful, and he should be utterly ashamed of himself. And actually, I think the people in Manchester and across the country will be furious with him.”

As chair of Ineos, Ratcliffe also owns the Grangemouth industrial complex where Scotland’s last oil refinery closed last year.

In the interview, he warned about the economic impacts of rising immigration. He said: “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 colonised. It's costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn't it?”

Starmer called for him to apologise, saying Britain was a “proud, tolerant and diverse country”.

Ratcliffe, who lives in Monaco, has since apologised for his “choice of language”.

In a statement, he said: “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.”