Labour's Bridget Phillipson hits back at claims by Manchester United's 'tax exile' owner Jim Ratcliffe that UK is 'on the slide' because of high taxes and immigration

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By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

Published: 11:27 BST, 20 September 2026 | Updated: 11:42 BST, 20 September 2026

Labour's Bridget Phillipson today lashed out at Manchester United's 'tax exile' co-owner Jim Ratcliffe after he claimed the UK is 'on the slide'.

The founder of chemicals giant Ineos, who moved to low-tax Monaco from the UK in 2020, said Britain is in decline because of high taxes and immigration.

Ms Phillipson, the Labour Party chair, has now become the latest Government minister to push back against Sir Jim's remarks.

She claimed the multi-billionaire loses the 'moral high ground' by making 'pronouncements' about the UK while deciding to be a 'tax exile'.

'I do think you lose the moral high ground in the argument you make... by making these kinds of pronouncements while choosing to make decisions that he is within his rights to make to become a tax exile,' Ms Phillipson told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show.

'And, of course, he was also someone, as I understand it, who was a big supporter of Brexit. That was over a decade ago now, but we've seen the impact of Brexit on our economy.'

Labour's Bridget Phillipson lashed out at Manchester United's 'tax exile' co-owner Jim Ratcliffe after he claimed the UK is 'on the slide'

Ms Phillipson, the Labour Party chair, has become the latest Government minister to push back against Sir Jim's remarks

Ms Phillipson added: 'That's why this Government is committed to making sure we do have a better trading relationship with the EU, which will be a central part of how we make sure we do see stronger growth.

'But on that point about growth and business, we are seeing strong signs in terms of business investment.

'We have seen good levels of growth within the economy. Is there more to do? Absolutely, and that's what the Chancellor (John Healey) will be determined to set out.'

Sir Jim had claimed Britain 'was a fantastic place' but is now 'on the slide' and that he has 'no confidence' in the country.

'We had the greatest empire in the world. We were a great people. We won two world wars. We're good, honest folk,' he told the BBC's Big Boss Interview podcast.

'But unfortunately, at the moment, I think the UK is on the slide. It's quite difficult to see how we arrest it.'

Asked what issues politicians should focus on, Sir Jim said immigration was 'clearly one' as well as high taxes.

Ms Phillipson is the second Labour minister to criticise Sir Jim over his comments.

Treasury minister Torsten Bell suggested in a social media post on Saturday that Sir Jim has a 'patriotism problem'.

He claimed Sir Jim 'hates his own country while complaining he doesn't get big enough subsidies from it' and 'laments the hit to manufacturing driven by a Brexit he supported'.

Earlier this year, Sir Jim told Sky News the UK had been 'colonised by immigrants' before he said he was sorry if those remarks had 'offended some people'.