I’ve heard some utter tosh from politicians over the years but never anything so blatantly untrue as the comments from our First Minister, Alex Salmond, reported today. This clown is telling people Rangers need to be saved for the sake of Celtic. He said:
“The most diehard Celtic supporter understands that Celtic can’t prosper unless Rangers are there. The rest of the clubs understand that as well. Therefore you have to have cognisance of these things when you’re pursuing public policy.
Keep our name out of it you incoherent fool.
If our prosperity depends on the survival of Rangers it’s time our values and priorities changed. You of all people should know this after your lecturing last year. Celtic have not been well served by their association with Rangers, nor vice versa. As a combined entity, the ‘Old Firm’ have not been good for Scotland.
I’m keen to hear what his “public policy” on the matter is. Salmond goes on to say:
“We’ve certainly been arguing to HMRC on one hand, and indeed to Rangers, to for goodness sake get a settlement, get a settlement and a structure over time whereby Rangers can continue because Rangers must continue for the future of Scottish football and for the fabric of the country.”
How dare you argue with HMRC? Even Rangers admit the potential underpayment could be £75m. How many nurses, teachers and policemen would that employ, Mr Salmond? This is the true cost of his position.
This sorry business has nothing to do with Celtic, I hope our club make this clear to provocative politicians. All you die-hard Celtic supporters out there better let this man know he has no right to speak for you.
“Fabric of the country”. He got that bit right, alas.
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Has the Cousin signing been confirmed as yet?
Surely any club that knows it is going into administration cannot be allowed to sign another player, thus committing itself to money that it knows it cannot pay. Isn’t that pretty much the definition of reckless trading?
Alex Salmond———-Horrible Wee Jobby
Papa John at 12:58
Its very rare for a company to go straight from administration to dissolution. The only reason I know why this can happen, bypassing liquidation, is that if the company doesn’t have any assets to sell.
Mort
Just in case Alex Salmond is simply poorly informed rather than a dangerous idiot, for his benefit, the current situation as regards Celtic is as follows.
Celtic reduces its wage bill in line with the club’s income, and uses any excess money to bring debt to creditors under control.
Celtic pays all taxes owed to HMRC as they fall due.
Celtic implements and invests in a youth development policy in order that the club can bring through its own young players, resulting in regular first team slots for James Forrest and Charlie Mulgrew.
Celtic implements a worldwide scouting network in order to unearth affordable and talented players, bringing them to Scotland to enhance the quality of player available domestically.
Meanwhile, Rangers steal £50m from the taxpayer, buy Jelavic and win the league by 1 point.
“The most diehard Celtic supporter understands that Celtic can’t prosper unless Rangers are there.”
It seems that we cannot prosper if Rangers are there either Alex.
Oh the irony.
The quintessential British club brought down by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs is being supported by the Scottish Nationalist Party, whose raisin d être is separation from the rest of Britain.
Alas, I predicted this the other day. The image of Ranjurs will now be metamorphisised in to a “great” Scottish institution and the SNP will then portray them as a poor victim of an evil London based exchequer. They will then play the bigot card in an attempt to get the rest of Scottish society to buy in to what they’ve done under the auspices of protecting “the fabric” of Scottish culture.
Sad days indeed.
Outstanding article Paul67
The anger is palpable as well it should be.
HH
I wonder if we will see scenes like this at Celtic Park in two weeks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFmo_QG0hN4
Hail Hail
Paul67
Well said… That fool Salmond does not talk for me…. Idiot of the highest calibre.
Well spoken Paul, glad I live in Engerland.
Hail! Hail!
If Salmond thinks that the huns must continue for the future of the fabric of the country you have to wonder what kind of Scotland he wants.
Perhaps some of the SNP supporters on here could tell us.
Just so we all know.
Before we vote.
Hands high
Who voted SNP ?
Hail Hail
My response to Alex Salmond:
FirstMinister@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Sir,
I write in response your recent statement regarding Rangers Football Club excerpted below:
“The most die hard Celtic supporter understands that Celtic can’t prosper unless Rangers are there. The rest of the clubs understand that as well. Therefore you have to have cognisance of these things when you’re pursuing public policy.
“We’ve certainly been arguing to HMRC on one hand, and indeed to Rangers, to for goodness sake get a settlement, get a settlement and a structure over time whereby Rangers can continue because Rangers must continue for the future of Scottish football and for the fabric of the country.”
I would be grateful if you could answer the following questions:
1. What ‘public policy’ will you be advocating with regards to this situation? As a UK Taxpayer I would like reassurance that you condemn the non payment of tax from any institution in the UK regardless of who it is. I would also like reassurance that you will not be advocating that HMRC accept less than they are due as this will set a dangerous precedent in respect of future tax raising powers should any other company see that the can deliberately withhold tax and pay a lesser amount at some date in the future.
2. You state that ‘Rangers must continue for the future of Scottish football and for the fabric of the country’. As a proud Scotsman I find it utterly abhorrent for you to intimate that the fabric of the country will be at risk unless a football club survives it’s non payment of debts. Can you please confirm exactly what you meant by that part of your statement.
For you to make such a statement, suggesting that the fabric of the country is in some way threatened should Rangers be liquidated, belittles Scotland on a global scale and brings your ability to lead the country in Independence into question.
I have been an advocate of an independent Scotland all my life but will not be casting my vote for the SNP until I have satisfactory answers to the above.
Regards
Salmond – wtf? Seriously? Wtf?
What are you suggesting happens? Rangers by their own admission have an annual £10m “black hole”, all things being equal, how do you suggest plugging this and have spare cash to pay off HMRC? The longer they stay in business (!) the worse it will be for Scottish football. Hearts are owned waht £800k, Dundee Utd owed money from the Cup game, ICT ticket money from their upcoming game etc, the longer this drags on the more debt Rnagers will owe to toher SPL clubs and Scottish companies, so when they do finally go “pop!” (and without an RBS-style bailout they will), it’ll be many times worse than biting the bullet now.
I know Salmond is a politician, a very good one IMO (rest fo the SNP – not so sure) and for this curveball to arrive at a time where he is trying to convince the electorate that Scotland can stand on its own two feet, is an absolute b*gger of timing. Scotlandes biggest Institutions? RBS – brought down by mismanagement, HBOS – brought down by mismanagement, RFC (in admn) – brough down by mismanagement… No wonder he’s pleading with HMRC (and by extension the electorate), but at the end of the day, you got to pay the bills bears..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjoRj6Dr37c
Just caught up on the news that Big Dan’s red card has been rescinded.
Any punishment for referee McLean for his appalling decision, or is that too much to ask for?
SNP supporting ranjurz, one a dyed in the wool unionist organisation, the other an organisation dedicated to readicating the polical union
ranjurz supporting ‘our boys’one an organisation fighting in HM’s name the other an organisation dedicated to evading paying the taxes that support ‘our boys’
HH one and all.. Salmond leaping about all over the place..
A few fishy stories between Murray Rangers Salmond etc.. As I said yday when Murray leapt into Salmonds arms a few yrs ago I suspected he needed a friend in high places.. We must all highlight these inconsistencies..
Amidst it all Big Dan cleared to play Sunday.. Another honest mistake??
I despair..
Liquidise them I say..
HH
Salmon, Sturgeon and MacKaskill …. all have made very pro Rangers statements recently.
SNP is the hun party .. they´ll be singing about the three lions on the shirt soon enough
Hail Hail
If Alex Salmond is so concerned about the employees of poundland fc should he now be making a fuss about their missing PAYE and other contributions??
Hey Alex!!
Can you hear me?!!
Let me take your “fabric” of the country. And let me set light to it!
Burn baby burn !
Bristol Bhoy says:
16 February, 2012 at 13:07
Excellently put……
Just contacted HMRC NI to ask if they could allow me to pay a bit less of my tax over a longer period and then write some of it off as I was having difficulty paying some other bills.
Guess what they said:
nothing. Just laughed at me, told the other guys to come to his work station and asked me to repeat the question. I did. I am pretty sure they were laughing at me. Well, I’ll have to last laugh. I have complained to their Customer Services people. That’ll show ’em.
Still waiting to hear if I can pay less over longer time period. Fingers crossed. here’s hoping.
Now for the National Insurance contributions…….
Madra Rua
Sorry to hear about your close friend, take care and keep the faith
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon says:
16 February, 2012 at 13:01
radio shortbread lunchtime sportdesk said he was training with the team this morning and agent mckay said the deal is done (not confirmed though)
You tell em Paul67!! think I’ll tweet eck just now, tell him how wrong he is!!!
As a 10 year old schoolbhoy when Winnie Ewing won her seat in Hamilton I heard them described by adult relatives as S oon N o P apes.
Sadly 45 years later it looks like it is coming to fruition.
Please remeber the situation that existed when BoS was the house banker for the TFOD / MIM.
No questions asked.
Debt allowed to balloon at the TFOD.
Everything kept sweet by the ties that bind at the Speculative Society.
It was only after the Halifax came on the scene that the TFOD debt was put under some scrutiny.
It was only after PC (AC was my mistake) at the Auld Reekie office of HBoS put the bank in the grubber and LBG got involved that real work was done to sort out the debt at both MIM / MIH and the TFOD.
Wee Eck is just working in the manner he can deal with.
Backroom deal stiched up in the Dig Commercial Ludge in Auld Reekie.
No scrutiny, no publicity, just a meeting of like minded individuals to sort out our problems.
Scotland does not have the depth of civic institutions to support Independence.
Lose the UK dimension and we will end up as a Tartanised Alabama.
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon says:
16 February, 2012 at 13:08
Just caught up on the news that Big Dan’s red card has been rescinded.
Any punishment for referee McLean for his appalling decision, or is that too much to ask for?
————————————
Yes, he is being punished. Craig Whyte sent him free tickets for the Rangers game on Saturday.
For him (CW) for whom the world was not enough
A pair of brown brogues does now suffice
Excellent article Paul
Salmond is without doubt a horrible little ‘see you next tuesday’.
Dig it. Dig it deep and bury them.
BroonSauce
“Fabric of the country”.
Is toliet paper classed as a fabric?
Big Dan the bull’s red card rescinded!!
Free to join in the hoopy hibee love in after mass on Sunday!!
HH
salmond was my mp for many years and a very good one at that.
he has been impressive, albeit not outstanding as first minister.
today he appears to have lost his marbles.
i can countenance no reason whatsoever that an elected politician should lobby the revenue collectors to absolve non paymeny of taxes, whilst leading a government with tax raising powers.
alex, your remarks are tantamount to treason.
Hey Alex !
what about condemnation of WILFUL failure to pay taxes.
Fat Alex has just set back the cause for independence. Ranjurs followers are for the union. Any Celtic fans toying with the idea of independence will have second thoughts…
Deary me.
I sense Mister Salmond has just had his “succulent lamb” moment.
It may just be political posturing, but for a guy who is supposedly a shrewd political mover
his comments are insanely misguided.
This one won’t go away, Alex.
Tragic stuff for Scotland.
Maybe we can look forward to an independent nation where none of us has to pay taxes.
Soi look forward eagerly to the SNP’s next manifesto in that case.
He has swiftly become a dolt.
pigalle
Mort
Very brief letter Joint Administrator’s Report states, notice of move from Admin to Dissolution,-Form 2.26B ( Scot )
I new I was onto Plums anyway, but just thought I would post, as ADMIN is for seems to be a topic in recent post for some reason or another YA BEAUTY.
Awerabest PJ
Just been thinking about the issue underlying one of Paul’s pieces earlier in the week.
Strathclyde Police were Rangers first creditor to ask for a payment guarantee from Rangers’ newly appointed administrator, saying, “Strathclyde Police is a public body and has a duty to make sure public resources are used appropriately. We are seeking an urgent meeting with the administrators to ensure that any payment for policing costs at future Rangers games is guaranteed.
“Until we have such a guarantee we would not be in a position to commit public resources to policing an event unless we had a reassurance that our costs would be met.”
There were of course subsequent assurances given and as we know the game is supposed to go ahead.
However given Whyte’s cavalier attitude to bill payment generally and public service bill payment in particular I started to think it’s unlikely the the police force bills are payed up to date when so many others are not.
That made me look at the words again and sure enough they only talk about costs for “FUTURE rangers games”.
So any money on a scenario that there are outstanding Police bills unpaid….. no guarantee……probable x% in the pound, but new bills which will be paid or at least are so promised. Who knows.
If the police was a commercial organisation (and not establishment focused) do you think they would provide their services on Saturday in those circumstances??
No. Thought not.
Now don’t you think that we as tax payers should insist (from both the Police authorities and the Administrator) on assurances that past bills have been cleared before any new services are provided.
I certainly do. Warszawa.
RobertTressell says:
16 February, 2012 at 13:09
You should have ended your request with–
” You do recorded these calls for training purposes”
p
Paul 67
There are times, like today, when your header and article is just perfect. Others often serve as a catalyst to debate. Today you’ve summed up what I feel perfectly. Thank you.
And you summed it up perfectly too.
Keep our name out of it you incoherent fool…
Quite honestly one of the best lines I’ve ever, ever read. It will stay with me for a long, long time. And when I return to it I shall smile.
Thanks mate
U