British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has expressed his belief that Britain is ready for a change of government in an exclusive interview with Sky News. While emphasizing that his petrochemicals conglomerate INEOS remains apolitical, Sir Jim has been a vocal supporter of Brexit and recently spent time with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at Manchester United, a football club he now holds a minority ownership stake in. Speaking on Sir Keir’s potential as a leader, Sir Jim stated, “I’m sure Keir will do a very good job at running the country – I have no questions about that.” He further added, “There’s no question that the Conservatives have had a good run. I think most of the country probably feels it’s time for a change. And I sort of get that, really.”
Sir Jim, who played a prominent role in the campaign for leaving the European Union in 2016, has since expressed concerns regarding the handling of Brexit by Conservative Prime Ministers. According to him, Brexit was largely focused on immigration and the influx of people into the UK. He stated, “That was the biggest component of that vote. People were getting fed up with the influx of the city of Southampton coming in every year. I think last year it was two times Southampton.” He further explained the impact of this influx on the country’s services, stating, “I mean, no small island like the UK could cope with vast numbers of people coming into the UK. It just overburdens the National Health Service, the traffic service, the police, everybody. The country was designed for 55 or 60 million people and we’ve got 70 million people and all the services break down as a consequence.”
On the topic of the upcoming election, Sir Jim expressed his dissatisfaction with the Conservatives’ handling of the economy. He stated, “The UK does need to get a bit sharper on the business front. I think the biggest objective for the government is to create growth in the economy.” He also highlighted the importance of a strong manufacturing sector and the need for competitive energy policies. He further compared the UK’s manufacturing sector to that of Germany, stating, “But today we’re just a fraction of where Germany is and I think that isn’t healthy for the British economy.”
When asked about INEOS’s financial contributions to Labour, Sir Jim clarified that the company is apolitical and simply wants to see a successful manufacturing sector in the UK. He stated, “We just want a successful manufacturing sector in the UK and we’ve talked to the government about that. It’s pretty clear about our views.”
Aside from his involvement in politics and the economy, Sir Jim also touched upon his role as the minority owner of Manchester United. He expressed his desire to see a “stadium of the North” built in the region, stating, “There’s a very good case, in my view, for having a stadium of the North, which would serve the northern part of the country in that arena of football.” He also highlighted the potential for Old Trafford and the surrounding areas to be regenerated through this project. Sir Jim’s comments come after he hosted Sir Keir at a Premier League match at the stadium last weekend.
Despite his business profile and involvement in politics, Sir Jim remains focused on his mission to bring success to the UK in the face of challenges. He stated, “We are in an existential battle over the world order. We’ve got to get our act together and I think the UK needs to get sharper.”
