Billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he has lost confidence in UK - BBC News

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the UK’s billionaire owner of Ineos and a Manchester United stakeholder, says he has lost confidence in the UK, describing it as “on the slide” due to high taxes, high immigration, and welfare burdens, and criticizes insufficient investment in North Sea oil and gas. He warns that low European gas storage could threaten the UK’s energy security and suggests government hesitancy on North Sea projects, while calling for tougher immigration and benefits controls, and noting the country’s past economic strengths.

# Billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he has lost confidence in UK - BBC News Published: 2026-09-18T23:06:16.402000+00:00 Source: bbc.co.uk (bbc.co.uk) Language: en ## Story Billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he has lost confidence in UK - BBC News # Billionaire Man United owner says he has lost confidence in the UK ## To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Sir Jim Ratcliffe says the UK economy is "on the slide" By Simon Jack and Lucy Hooker, Business editor & business reporter 1 hour ago One of Britain's richest people, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, says he has lost confidence in the UK, describing the country as "on the slide". The founder of petrochemical giant Ineos, who also owns a large stake in Manchester United, said the UK was in decline due to a combination of high taxes and high immigration. He told the BBC failing to invest further in North Sea oil and gas amounted to "insanity" and warned gas storage was so low that the UK could "run out of gas" if there was a cold snap this winter. In response to the billionaire's criticism, the government said it was working to deliver growth and that business investment had increased in the last two years. A spokesperson said they did not foresee any problems with gas supply: "We have a diverse energy mix and are confident in our security of supply." Sir Jim, whose wealth is estimated to be around £15bn, has prompted controversy in the past with his comments on immigration. He was a supporter of Brexit b…

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