It should be a matter of great personal pride to the football fans, manty of them Celtic fans, who campaigned against the Offensive Behaviour at Football’ Bill from the outset, and then against the Act, faced off against the Scottish Government at Holyrood yesterday and won.
Their satisfaction will be shared by James Kelly MSP, who raised the Bill in Parliament, which yesterday brought down the Act. Well done to him and his colleagues.
This nonsense was never about ending sectarianism, neither the SNP Government, nor the police, have moved an inch towards this goal since Alex Salmond first raised the subject.
Sectarianism in football grounds was given life in 2011 by then Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, who sat through 90 minutes of The Billy Boys at Hampden, before congratulating fans on their performance. The Billy Boys returned to stadiums that day and since then, we have lived through an SNP endorsed open season.
The Act was a familiar mix of populist rhetoric and right wing police action so common with those who put identity politics before people.
After their defeat, the Government acknowledged they would recognise will of Parliament, despite ignoring the same will when an earlier vote on the Act was passed. Nicola Sturgeon did everything in her power to prevent this defeat.
Salmond has moved on to his spiritual home-broadcaster, where proto-right wing nationalists get to claim credentials of the left without challenge. Today we have a government and police force which have been made accountable to the law and the democratic will. The need for vigilance against extreme right wing policies continues.
Well done again to all those who campaigned so successfully.
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Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on 16th March 2018 5:22 pm
It is actually worse than that.
I am not sure that anyone has described the wee tax case as avoidance or that I have ever seen any correspondence which debates whether or not the WTV was either evasion or avoidance.
You will remember that the HMRC letter of 20th May 2011 was very clear in that it described the behaviour of RFC as Fraudulent and Deliberate.
The fraud element did not commence when they denied that there were any side letters in existence, but started when they systematically and deliberately under declared their monthly PAYE returns in or around 1999/2000.
It is that allegation that makes the 20th May letter so important as had it been properly produced to the SFA it would have clearly shown that the issues considered by LNS had commenced in the previous decde, and had the SFA applied the right litmus test they would have reached the conclusion that they had not received a truthful and valid licence application (Uefa or domestic) from Rangers for over 12 years as at 2011.
Of course we have never had any clear answer to the question about when the SFA were given sight of that letter nor been able to ask any number of supplementary questions we have been itching to ask for years.
The only reason for not disclosing that letter timeously and within the rules is because everyone at RFC knew that the letter put them totally in the grubber!
37 minutes to kick off
Respect to Hamilton Tim and all those involved in helping repeal the odious OBAF act. Hh
Bognorbhoy
This BT know what TOHG is doing ?
the independence vote got me thinking, idid not get a vote because of living in england, but what about 1966, i was 13 watching england v west germany, every goal west germany scored my late father hugged me he was gobsmacked when england won, thats the way it was then because every thing was english, england won the war, england won this, scotland ireland and wales didnt exist, so a vote then would have my snp vote, now ive heard so much stories about snp means, strictly no papes and various other things, if i was living up there now what would you ghuys advise a celtic supporter to vote.hh.
NEG
The fact that not one snp msp raised any doubt about the party stance displays the racist beating heart of the snp. The mindless devotion to a law passed to persecute the minority they hate.
Spot on with that NEG. I remember in the 70’s hearing my mother who was not politically minded say that SNP stood for “soon no pope”.
They were bigots then and I have no doubt they still are under the surface.
KEEP THE FAITH
BT
Nice one ,
we all know what he is doing ………..
supporting the celtic
They fought the law
and they won
They fought the law
and they won
evening all …glad the Bill was repealed….
…it is hard to imagine any Celt thinking the way to a better life lies with the Brits in Westminster…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nHdSK-mB3k
Braw.
15 mins
saints versus lennie
Good evening all.
What a chance for Hibs tonight, where a win puts them into 3rd place in their first season back in the top flight. Their main problem this year has been a lack of consistency but hopefully they address that tonight. Of course St Johnstone got a decent win at Dundee last week so it should be a decent game.
My prediction? That would be at least 3 goals, at least 4 cards and 10 or more corners. Shillings may have been invested ;-)
Mon the Hibs!
P67
As a socialist labour supporting yes voter I must say I was surprised by your blog today
We all agree the bill was unjust and wrong
BSR (from last page) – sincere thanks for the link to the full Brendan press conference. I alwasy enjoy listening to the whole thing rather than just the soundbites on the radio.
A brilliant point made (about 7 minutes in) about going down to 10 men and something I was unaware of. I paraphrase – ‘in Brendan’s time we have gone down to 10 men in 3 league games, all away from home. The total time that we have had to play with 10 men is 94 minutes. In those 94 minutes, with 10 men, we have scored 4 times and have yet to lose a goal’!
Evening all, not going to get too involved in the rejoicing over the removal of the OBAF.
It always has been the case to my eyes that Celtic supporters were treated badly wherever we travelled in Scotland. I have seen the hand held cameras being used in close proximity to myself. Can I also say that I witnessed them being used at close quarters against the Union Bears March last week, to film Motherwell and Hamilton supporters also at the other derby last week.
I am always concerned that a zealous copper could arrest my lhad and have him black marked for his career. What’s my point caller?
I honestly don’t think level of policing will change, football fans always have been and will continue to be seen as an anti social gathering and subject to vigorously applied policing tactics.
The same laws that were in place are still in place and will be used to ensure football fans will be an easy target. In defence of some police officers the antics of some of our away support leaving Rugby Park recently was anti social and not worthy of our club.
No OBAF act was needed to see they were out of order.
Whilst HT was out there making a difference he was attacked on CQN on a regular basis by a certain poster whose idea of being a Celtic man was to finish every post with GIRUY. Well what goes around comes around. Hh
Effe
Efe !!!!!!!!!
Jobo
Class manager, meticulous in preparation even to the point of planning for having ten men.
I made the point after the game, that why he wouldn’t hook Dedryk and make a change before he had to.
Celtic FC Academy
Full Time: Celtic 4-0 Kilmarnock
As it stands Hibs are 4 points behind the team in 2nd place. The Hibs are coming…
Lovely goal from Hibs.
Hibs down to 10.
Moment of madness from the keeper.
What’s the keeper doing? Lenny
Neil what’s the goalie doing ?
That’s the wee linesman who trains at the same gym as me. He certainly trains very hard.
“Whit’s the keeper daein, Lenny . Whit’s the keeper daein”
Marciano runs out the box and plays the ball with body and arms – daft
Wits the goalie dain Tom?
Let’s see if Lenny has a 10 man game plan.
Ok
Pardon me for butting in here..
SNP. ….opinion on here fairly divided with most being anti Snp because I presume they are perceived to be anti the “irish/catholic ” community in the West of Scotland (who were/are mainly labour party supporters traditionally)
That’s fair enough…however Rangers fans dont seem to have any time for them either (referring to them as SNP/IRA and The Republican party and castigating them for wanting to break up the union) According to them the SNP is full of “rangers hating papes “.
I am confused
BBC 2 Scotland
Songs of Ireland
HH
Hi Bhoys
Genuine question
When the hibs goalie was sent off for hand ball if Effe had dived in and handled the ball before the keeper what is the correct decision?
KEEP THE FAITH
Watched the game against the huns again.
So help me God I HATE those bastards and her supporting mibs.
I hope Collum and his cheating bastard mates spend the money well.
GIRFUT
BRTH
Fraud and accusations of this should have been answered in Court, I am totally baffled why charges have not been brought against those who operated and benefited from these deliberate acts, it does indeed look like tax is for the wee people and some people are above the law.
PHILBHOY
Get it aff yer chest Big Mhan :-)
KEEP THE FAITH
Wits
The SNP have moved in and snapped up the labour supporting voters as they felt labour let them down over the years by taking their support for granted..
That’s it in a nutshell without going into the Blair/right wing labour etc
St Johnstone are brutal.
Keeper not sent off for hand ball outside the box any more than any outfield player would be.
He was sent off for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity.