Nigel Farage Brutally Fact-Checked 5 Times As He Tries To Defend Jim Ratcliffe's Migrant Claims

Nigel Farage was fact-checked four times in a toe-curling interview over Jim Ratcliffe’s controversial claim that the UK is being “colonised” by migrants.

Ratcliffe, the billionaire co-owner of Manchester United, triggered major backlash last week when he said: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits, and huge levels of immigrants coming in.

“The UK is being colonised by immigrants.”

He claimed: “The population of the UK was 58 million in 2020. Now it’s 70 million. That’s 12 million.”

Ratcliffe offered a limited apology on Friday, saying he was “sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK an Europe”.

But, he insisted it was still “important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth”.

Speaking to Sky News, Farage defended Ratcliffe – who has previously described the Reform party leader as “intelligent” – saying he had only pointed out a “fact” that 12 million people have come into the country.

But presenter Matt Barbet corrected Farage: “Well, he got the dates wrong didn’t he?”

Farage admitted: “He said 2020 but he meant 2000. Since 2000, 12 million people is the population increase in Britain. Over 85% of that is the direct impact of immigration. That’s a fact.

“There are nine million living in Britain on benefits of some kind, although some of them in work benefits.”

Barbet cut in with a second correction: “Most of them are in work benefits, actually.”

Farage also alleged that Ratcliffe had only withdrawn the use of the word “colonised”, not the overall sentiment.

Asked about his use of that loaded term, Farage said: “I think it’s probably in the dictionary definition correct – but perhaps people aren’t quite ready for that.”

“It has historical overtones though doesn’t it?” Barbet said. “I want to ask you about the language, the rhetoric. People using words like that, people referring to Enoch Powell’s speeches, is that overshadowing having a considered debate on immigration?”

Farage said: “It’s just one word. Everything he said was right. One word can be used in a different context.”

The MP for Clacton claimed the Office for National Statistics (ONS) census also shows a million people can’t speak any English.

But Barbet pointed out: “It says they aren’t speaking good English. That doesn’t mean there’s a million who aren’t speaking any English at all.”

“Five million don’t speak good English,” Farage insisted. “A million don’t speak English at all. Those are the census facts we got a couple of years ago.”

Barbet then pointed out that Ratcliffe himself is an economic migrant as he lives in Monaco.

“He’s a tax migrant,” Farage replied.

“He’s an economic migrant then, isn’t he?” Barbet replied, but Farage dodged the comment by claiming Ratcliffe is not claiming social security.

“He’s spending lots of money in Monaco employing people and spending money on the high street,” the Reform Party leader said.

“Actually, Nigel Farage, he’s cut hundreds of jobs here in the UK, in Grangemouth,” Barbet said, with a cutting fifth correction. “He wanted to build Ineos Grenadier car in Wales, you know where it’s built now? It’s built in France.”

Farage just blamed the “moronic energy policy” put in place by Labour and the Tories.