Bridget Phillipson roasts billionaire Man Utd owner for claiming Britain is ‘on the slide’

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has taken apart the billionaire businessman and owner of Manchester United football club Sir Jim Ratcliffe for claiming that Britain is a failed country ‘on the slide’ due to high levels of immigration and taxation.

Ratcliffe, who lives in tax-free in Monaco told the BBC that politicians had to be ‘tough enough’ to deal with the problems caused by immigration and high taxes.

He said: “Unfortunately at the moment, I think the UK is on the slide, it’s quite difficult to see how we arrest it”.

The businessman also added: “If you continue to tax everyone to death, they’re all going to leave. And that’s what’s happening.”

However, Labour Party chair Phillipson hit back and told the BBC: “You’ll forgive if I do take with a pinch of salt what someone who is a tax exile has to say about our country.

“I am optimistic about our country’s prospects,” the minister said, while acknowledging there are challenges such as international headwinds in reference to the ongoing Iran war.

“But I fundamentally believe we are in a strong position going into this Budget because of decisions taken over the last two years and I believe our country’s best days lie ahead of us.”

Phillipson also raised Ratcliffe’s record of supporting Brexit and said: “That was over a decade ago now, but we’ve seen the impact of Brexit on our economy, and that’s why this government is committed to making sure we do have a better trading relationship with the European Union, which will be a central part of how we make sure we do see stronger growth.”