Manchester United's Muslim Supporters' Club has called for co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to step down following controversial comments he made during a BBC interview. Ratcliffe described the UK as being "on the slide" from its imperial past and blamed high taxes and immigration for Britain's decline. The supporters' club responded with a formal statement of no confidence, arguing that such remarks are unacceptable given the club's diverse workforce and fanbase.

Ratcliffe, founder of petrochemicals company Ineos, has been a controversial figure at Manchester United, having increased ticket prices and sacked 450 employees. His latest comments echo similar remarks made seven months earlier, when he claimed the UK was being "colonised by immigrants". Whilst the UK's tax burden stands at 35.3% of GDP—the highest since World War II—it remains below the average of 14 Western European economies. Ratcliffe has also been at odds with supporters over a ticketing crackdown that revoked 685 season tickets, and has criticised government energy policy regarding North Sea resources.