Two important issues to discuss today, Exploiting Hillsborough and Tax Justice Network. Do you think newspapers are above exploiting the Hillsborough tragedy? Think again.
Exploiting Hillsborough
Last year Celtic announced they received permission for safe standing at Celtic Park from the start of next season. The club hasn’t spoken about the matter since then, but season ticket renewal information was published yesterday, including details for those in what will become safe standing areas.
Some sharp-eyed operator spotted an opportunity. A bereaved Hillsborough mother was called, information put to her which led her to believe Celtic HAD made an announcement this week, before commenting “It’s insensitive to announce that right at this time, a week just after the verdicts”.
Readers were then treated to comments from Peter Lawwell to hammer home the point, “Celtic has worked tirelessly on this issue and we are delighted this permission has finally been granted”.
That comment was made in 2015, but was printed in the context of being made a week after the Hillsborough inquest. If you want a Celtic comment contemporaneous with the Hillsborough inquest, you’re out of luck, none was made. A comment was taken from the past, dressed up as new – and insensitive to the Hillsborough tragedy – then put to a bereaved mother.
This beggars belief. This coverage did not happened by accident, it was planned and executed with a clear objective to undermine Celtic, and the chief executive in particular. It was a vile act.
Tax Justice Network
Tax Justice Network (TJN) are an international activist think-tank who push to “‘change the weather’ on a wide range of issues related to tax, tax havens and financial globalisation”. They train journalists on how to cover illicit finance and tax havens, and last year launched The Offshore Game, a look into football ownership and transparency. Their testimonials are impressive:
“TJN has done more than any other organisation to put fiscal justice at the center of the policy agenda. Tax issues should not be left to those who want to escape taxes! Changes will come when more and more citizens of the world take ownership of these matters. TJN is a powerful force acting in this direction.”
Thomas Piketty, author, Capital in the Twenty-First Century
“Founded at a time when tax was a Cinderella subject, the Tax Justice Network was one of few voices challenging the status quo. Since then, its energy and international reach have greatly magnified its influence as the issues it championed moved up the political agenda.”
Vanessa Houlder, The Financial Times
“In some ways I feel responsible for TJN’s creation since I suggested in a 2000 OECD Observer report that civil society needed to have a stronger voice in the international tax debate. Well, over these 12 years it certainly has achieved this, moving tax issues up the political agenda.”
Jeffrey Owens, former head of tax, OECD
“The Queen has asked me to thank you for your letter of 4th November from which Her Majesty has taken careful note of your comments and concerns about taxation and offshore financial secrecy.”
Queen Elizabeth II (cough)
So that’s the OECD, The Financial Times, the Queen and Tam Piketty. When a body with a list of testimonials as authoritative as the TJN turn their focus on Scottish football, we should all take note. Yesterday evening the TJN released their report into the SFA, Rangers and governance in Scottish football, entitled ‘Doing SFA for Fair Play?‘
Their extensive report’s conclusions are:
Issue 1 – The SPL inquiry into rule breaking at Rangers
The first concerns the judge-led Commission set up by the SPL into alleged rule breaking by Rangers in the run up to their collapse.
The Commission considered whether Rangers should be stripped of a series of league and cup titles. The documents reveal that the then President of the SFA, Campbell Ogilvie, misled the public and the judge presiding over the inquiry, which led them to make a material error of fact in their judgement.
The fact that Mr Ogilvie (former Rangers director and SFA president) had previously been one of the longest serving officials in the history of Rangers Football Club clearly raises questions as to the motive behind his statements – since the inquiry’s own findings imply that, in full possession of the facts, they would have to have reached a different decision and possibly have stripped titles from Rangers.
Issue 2 – Rangers’ licence to play in Europe 2011/2012
The second issue concerns the grant and retention of a licence to play in Europe to Rangers in the 2011/12 season, when the finances of the club suggested it was on the verge of imminent collapse.
UEFA rules are clear that in order to get a licence to play European football a club must prove that it has no overdue payables to tax authorities. Our analysis of the evidence shows that Rangers clearly had an overdue payable as defined in the UEFA rules and could not have met that test.
However, regardless of this, the SFA did grant Rangers a licence. Although the SFA were informed by Rangers of an on-going issue concerning a large tax bill, they accepted Ranger’s erroneous argument that this did not break any UEFA rules.
It appears that the SFA did little to test the explanation regarding the status of the bill given by Rangers, and subsequent correspondence reveals an unhealthy degree of co-ordination between Rangers and the SFA over the PR around the decision.
As history unfolded, Rangers were knocked out before reaching the group stages of the Champion’s League. Had they managed to achieve victory in the qualifying rounds, they might well have gained the resources they needed to keep the company afloat and pay the overdue tax bill based on Champions League income, thwarting the very purpose of UEFA FFP Articles in respect of overdue tax.
Instead, Rangers went into administration and other Scottish clubs were denied a chance to play European football. That was not only unfair, it came at a cost to those clubs. Also, had Malmo and Maribor, not won their qualifying games against Rangers, for them, the consequences of this breach in the fair play rules would have been far more serious.
On the SFA
Regulators also have a duty to ensure fair play, over and above the usual rules that govern competition between companies. To ensure that competition stays on the pitch and doesn’t retreat behind the closed doors of the boardroom, regulators must make rules to ensure clubs do not gain unfair and unsporting advantages over others.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in order to execute these functions, a regulator must itself be fair. To preserve the integrity of the system, the regulator must be beyond reproach, and behave in a way which does not produce any suspicion that that they might be exercising their power unfairly, in favour of one team over another.
It is on this last point, that The Offshore Game team have serious concerns about the behaviour and conduct of the Scottish Football Regulator, the Scottish Football Association (SFA).
In conclusion
The two cases that are dealt with in this report, which have nothing to do with the matter under consideration by the criminal court, call into question whether the SFA can be considered a fair and impartial regulator of Scottish football.
This is a question that the SFA has, thus far, flatly refused to answer. And that itself points to a much bigger question: is the SFA an organisation capable of fixing itself and adopting the required standards of transparency, accountability and fairness that fans of Scottish football deserve?
The evidence presented in this report does not amount to proof of corruption, and we do not allege corruption at the SFA. But the evidence does strongly suggest that the SFA is unable, if not actively unwilling, to ensure fair play. Major changes in personnel and governance structures will be necessary if the SFA is to show itself fit for purpose.
The first step to restoring confidence would be for the SFA to engage with UEFA over the clearly misleading returns Rangers’ submitted to them in order to get a licence to play European football in 2011.
Secondly there needs to be a fully independent inquiry, including substantial fan representation, to assess the role of the SFA and the actions of key, senior staff in respect of each issue outlined in this report; and with a mandate to learn from more accountable sports authorities in other fields and to recommend sweeping governance changes to the SFA if deemed necessary.”
No attempt was made by the SFA to tidy up their reputation, they refused to engage with TJN. They are not the first sports body to recently avoid examining issues of financial probity, but in the current climate, this line is becoming increasingly difficult to hold.
On a related matter, more work has taken place on the Resolution 12 issue than anyone will be able to quantify. Unable to go into any detail, I marked your card on this last month and can do so again now. The process does not have long to go.
My expectation is that the TJN report will reach Uefa today, irrespective of whether the Scottish media collude to suppress such a story. The ducks are aligning.
Thank you to everyone who donated to our Mary’s Meals appeal yesterday. “Gerry”, who won the Magners tickets, hasn’t checked his email yet!
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Hooooooopy Birthday VMhan.
Hope it’s a Champion Day.
If Beth is reading this on the way to her first ever Celtic game,I hope you have a fantastic time,and that your Dad,fine fella that he is,takes you along as often as you like.
Hail Hail!!!!
Sun beginning to peep through some broken clouds over (south west) East Kilbride. Time to get this party started………..
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BBC : The Big Questions..
‘Nicky’ Campbell…Is A TOTAL SLIME-BAG!
WhenTheRevolutionComes!CSC
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The Cambuslang CSC “Green” Charabanc….
Hiz Tae Set Aff At The Peep O’ Dawn..
Tae Get Tae Parkheid Oan Time.
http://www.beastsofwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Charabanc.jpg
Meanwhile…O’er At The Brazen Heid..
“Great Rollin’ Thunder” An’ His Braves..
Hiv Time For Anither Saspirilla…
Afore Settin’-Aff In Their Mair Stylish Charabanc….
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3d-4Atd4rhs/Ut5OHHzgBEI/AAAAAAAADmk/E81OhISmHrA/s1600/charabanc-2.jpg
Oh Yes..!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=KkBIIZcLmQQ
An bhfuil tu damhsa liom?
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Celtic have 29 listed First Team squad players and that is with Derk deleted. Squad includes 12 midfielders with Ajer already signed to bring that up to thirteen. In addition we have 9 players loaned out. If we add Ajer and delete Blackett whose loan is up, including returning loanees we would have 38 players to deal with, plus a fantastic Development Squad looking for an opportunity to step up.
We still need to bring in about 3 Quality players, a right back, a defensive midfielder and a striker, I reckon we need to off load about 10 or 12 players this summer.
What’s brilliant about the new hooses in Bishopton.
The amount of incoming time.
12 on the platform all hooped up.
Makes me proud so it does .
Not the only Tim in the village csc
ELDIEGOBHOY 1128
Indeed,I totally agree.
I hope you had a great wee day wi the troops yesterday,bud. Seems that even PHILBHOY was on the lash,and he usually sticks to lemonade.
Hail Hail,guid Tim.
Hail Hail The Celts are here….
Oh to be in Paradise today!
Enjoy it to the max Celts these days don’t come very often no matter what the snipers say:))
Starry
Incoming tims
Flipping fone
I’m ooff oot to Mass back for live updates & the match as Starry said, Oh to be in Paradise today.
To those of ye lucky enough to be there enjoy the day, I’d love to be joining ye but life got in my way.
Heading off to Paradise shortly- thinking of Wee Oscar and his family- a force for good- and all those who were better because of him.
Jobo balde
That was getting very close to a forecast there…:-)
Saint Stive – the light shining in dark places ;-)
Looking forward to 5 in a row, was7 years old last time and I’m told I was there but tbh there were so many Leagues, Big Cups, wee cups in thise days I probably didn’t really appreciate it as much as I should have.
Then getting into some tough days watching Celts in the 90’s when any league win would have been very, very welcome indeed. Not easy to be a Celt then and I learned the hard way what those older Celts told me about the 40′ and 50’s
If you are of a certain vintage you will know what I am on about.
If you are a MON era Bhoy you might not. if you are under 10 then you will be forgiven for thinking this is par for the course.
it’s not!!!
soooooo savour every moment, take fotos witha ll your firends and family and save them somewhere safe. most important of all keep them as you will need them one day ( hopefuully nit for a wee while tho’)
I wish I had back in the day.
5 in a row – ya dancer!!
I see the resident Empire apologist was annoyed by Nikki Campbell’s programme this morning.
Nikki is a fairly annoying smug presence but there were some very insightful comments on that programme with the single exception of David Vance who possessed the intellectual gravitas of Jade Goody. It must be hard for the Occupied 6 to put up with “thinkers” of that calibre.
Here’s the tune for today
Havin a Party
Complete with dancing bear.
If you’re in the ground early enough watch out for CQN’s very own Giggsy accompanying the Hillsborough families onto the park around 12.15.
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SFTB…
“Virtue-Signaller” Par Excellence Oan This Sainted Blog…..
Are You The Talentless Multimillionaire Bob Geldof….
IN DISGUISE..?
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From Alex Cobham.
RFC side-letters invalidated scheme on expert terms; so at fault even before HMRC decided EBTs invalid
WC
HT has managed to get in on that walk around the park also
Love
Far more important things in life than football, hope the families from Liverpool and wherever else have a good day
Hope Miss GFTB grows up to realise we faced tough times in the years before, conversation just now
Wee yin “dad why are you hyper ?”
Me “we win the league today”
Wee yin “dad, we always win the league”
It seems to have hit home effectively
Off to see the Celts now
Haven’t scrolled back. Any sightings of proper journalism into a certain report on the SFA’s governance? Nah…. Didn’t think so.
Anyway let’s celebrate today and fill Celtic Park with happiness and noise.
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPY Birthday VMhan.
Let the People Sing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&feature=related&v=zhkdy0AOpaM
Things you no likely to read in the UK MSM any time soon
A report from the Argentine doctors’ organisation, Physicians in the Crop-Sprayed Towns,[1] challenges the theory that the Zika virus epidemic in Brazil is the cause of the increase in the birth defect microcephaly among newborns.
The increase in this birth defect, in which the baby is born with an abnormally small head and often has brain damage, was quickly linked to the Zika virus by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. However, according to the Physicians in the Crop-Sprayed Towns, the Ministry failed to recognise that in the area where most sick people live, a chemical larvicide that produces malformations in mosquitoes was introduced into the drinking water supply in 2014. This poison, Pyriproxyfen, is used in a State-controlled programme aimed at eradicating disease-carrying mosquitoes.
The Physicians added that the Pyriproxyfen is manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical, a Japanese “strategic partner” of Monsanto. Pyriproxyfen is a growth inhibitor of mosquito larvae, which alters the development process from larva to pupa to adult, thus generating malformations in developing mosquitoes and killing or disabling them. It acts as an insect juvenile hormone or juvenoid, and has the effect of inhibiting the development of adult insect characteristics (for example, wings and mature external genitalia) and reproductive development. It is an endocrine disruptor and is teratogenic (causes birth defects), according to the Physicians.
The Physicians commented: “Malformations detected in thousands of children from pregnant women living in areas where the Brazilian state added Pyriproxyfen to drinking water are not a coincidence, even though the Ministry of Health places a direct blame on the Zika virus for this damage.”
They also noted that Zika has traditionally been held to be a relatively benign disease that has never before been associated with birth defects, even in areas where it infects 75% of the population.
The Spirit of Arthur Lee
Will cheer them both!
On Nicky Campbell. On his book he says he was a Celtic supporter while at posh school in Edinburgh but was ‘convinced’ to change to the minis on sectarian reasons.
Later in the book – which was about him being adopted – he traces his parents and found out his old man was in the IRA!
Abrasco names the British GM insect company Oxitec as part of the corporate lobby that is distorting the facts about Zika to suit its own profit-making agenda. Oxitec sells GM mosquitoes engineered for sterility and markets them as a disease-combatting product – a strategy condemned by the Argentine Physicians as “a total failure, except for the company supplying mosquitoes”.
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[So, The Donald……Would Geldof Ever Choose To Live In C-A-M-B-U-S-L-A-N-G..?
Don’t Think So………!! ]
Dobra won lewacki śmieciu !
(Good one, leftist scumbag !)
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Celtic Football Club
@celticfc
Also please remember to be in your seats early as we honour those involved with the Hillsborough Justice Campaign from 12:15 #JFT96 #YNWA
Wonder what the attendance will be today ?
Hail Hail from the Kerrydale Suite :)
HH
LEFTCLICKTIC
Have a great Celtic day mate:))
Hail Hail fae The Green Valley!
BCW
Big crowd in Hoops travelling from West Dunbartonshire and Drumchapel. Packed train for a change.
5 in a row!
Celtic team to face Aberdeen: Gordon; Lustig, Sviatchenko, Mulgrew, Tierney; McGregor, Bitton; Roberts, Rogic, Armstrong; Griffiths.
gordon
lustig erik mulgrew tirney
mcgregor roberts bitton rogic
armstrong griffiths
Celtic subs: Bailly, Ambrose, Izaguirre, Christie, Allan, Johansen, Janko.
cheers Starry
till later all
Erik to score anytime in 90mins for me today
HH
Hope all you lucky people Celtic Park have a great day. Time to get ready.
TV box on Sky = check
Laptop on standby if sausage needed = check.
Android on Mobro = check.
Right Guys give RD a good send off with 5 in a row
HAIL HAIL
Just about to head through from fife to St Cuthberts in Edinburgh for my great nephews christening.
Got the game on record (not tape Tony :-)) and watch it tonight.
Have a grand day fellow tims.
2-1 the hoops…COYBIG..HH