Jim Ratcliffe and his begging bowl

[ClaretOfMancunia]

In September 2020, Ratcliffe officially changed his tax residence from Hampshire to Monaco, a move that it is estimated will save him £4 billion in tax. In February 2024, Ratcliffe became a minority shareholder in English Premier League football club Manchester United, and gained control over sporting operations. - Wikipedia

Bloke who doesn't pay his fair share of tax now all over the airwaves with his begging bowl asking taxpayers to help fund his redevelopment of Old Trafford. Meanwhile schools can't afford to buy books, prisons are bursting at the seams and hospital waiting lists are measured in years.

[Paul Waine]

I've no problem with a New Old Trafford being built as the "National Stadium in the North." However, I'd charge Man Utd a fee for every game they play there based on the costs to the taxpayers of developing the new stadium - and the full costs of Man Utd using the stadium. Jim Ratcliffe will understand that if you are using something that someone else has paid for, then you should pay a reasonable fee that takes their contribution into account. "Reasonable" being much higher than the small fee that West Ham Utd are paying for the London Stadium that was build with no viable financial plans once the Olympics were over.

I've also no problem with where Jim Ratcliffe has his tax residence. Many other football club owners are tax resident in other countries. Over the past 2 decades or so Jim Ratcliffe has built Ineos to provide a large number of jobs in the UK petrochemicals industry. That's an enormous amount more than most of us have done.

[JohnMcGreal]

It sounds like the redevelopment of Manchester United's football stadium is a matter for Manchester United PLC and its shareholders.

As a UK tax payer I don't give a stuff what they do with it, as long as public money isn't going towards it.

[ClaretOfMancunia]

I've also no problem with where Jim Ratcliffe has his tax residence. Many other football club owners are tax resident in other countries.

Can't say I'm quite happy with how rules for non-doms are set up at the moment that seem designed to allow those at the top of society to avoid huge amounts of tax - but that's a matter for the government to address (which they won't - even Sunak's wife has been at it).

Does make me feel a bit sick when they then come begging for taxpayer money to help fund private interests. Stinks to high heaven.

[dougcollins]

As a UK tax payer I don't give a stuff what they do with it, as long as public money isn't going towards it.

Isn't that the point- he IS asking for public money, as he claims it will be used as a national stadium.

Doesn't that mean the FA control who play there, not Manchester United?

[ClaretOfMancunia]

Seems I missed the existing "wembley of the north" topic already on the frontpage before posting this - sorry mods!

[Jel]

I'm sure Wembley of the South will love this! I don't think they've got their money back yet, so I doubt they'll be too chuffed about less events

[Paul Waine]

Can't say I'm quite happy with how rules for non-doms are set up at the moment that seem designed to allow those at the top of society to avoid huge amounts of tax - but that's a matter for the government to address (which they won't - even Sunak's wife has been at it).

Does make me feel a bit sick when they then come begging for taxpayer money to help fund private interests. Stinks to high heaven.

Tax resident in a non-UK country, for someone born in the UK, is not the same as being a non-dom for UK taxation. Jim Ratcliffe is not a non-dom. Akshata Murty was born in India, and so qualified for non-dom status by being born outside the UK to Indian parents. Ms Murty has voluntarily given up her non-dom status.

I don't think a National Stadium in the North would be a "private interest." Of course, Man Utd should pay their share of the costs of using the stadium to help the nation fund a national stadium in the north.

[ClaretOfMancunia]

Ah okay, my bad. He "moved" to Monaco (a tax haven for many tax dodgers) to reduce his UK tax bill by £4bn. Now he's asking for taxpayer money to fund expansion and redevelopment of a stadium now partially owned by him. It stinks. He can afford to pay for it himself with the many billions he's now avoided in tax, and so he should.

[Sheedyclaret]

That will be 2 tax funded stadiums in Manchester then

[Woodleyclaret]

I assume as a tax exile he will have to pick his games as is restricted from the amount of.time in the UK to avoid IRS rules.I also feel he has totally underestimated the amount of money needed to improve Manure and get even close to Citeh and Liverpool. Manure have wasted millions on Sancho and Antony so their recruitment is seriously flawed.

[MrTopTier]

Jim Ratcliffe is not the owner of Manchester United.

He can talk whatever ******** he wants.

The Glazers run that club and long may they continue to do so.

[Lip]

I'd like to see Manures ground turned into a Sewage works...

[Bosscat]

I'd like to see Manures* ground turned into a Sewage works...

The majority of the seats are filled with *it at home games Lip

[Paul Waine]

Jim Ratcliffe is not the owner of Manchester United.

He can talk whatever ******** he wants.

The Glazers run that club and long may they continue to do so.

The deal, as reported in the media, is that Jim Ratcliffe, despite only buying (just under) 28% of the shares, is running the football operations. I don't know if Jim Ratcliffe also has option (or obligation) to buy more of the shares in the future.

[Claret Toni]

Isn't that the point- he IS asking for public money, as he claims it will be used as a national stadium.

Doesn't that mean the FA control who play there, not Manchester United?

I really don't know who owns the FA, but unless it's the Government (which I doubt), why should the FA control who plays at a taxpayer funded stadium?

[Stayingup]

Personally I would like to see Sir Jim Ratcliffe running the country. The lot - all of them - in parliament are useless.

[ŽižkovClaret]

That will be 2 tax funded stadiums in Manchester then

That's the elephant in the room isnt it?

[Buxtonclaret]

One of the world's biggest media-made institutions with their countless millions in turnover asks for public money while a few miles off Mold Trafford, Rochdale could go bust needing a couple of million..