This morning the Daily Record led with a front page headline “Celtic and the tax dodge firm”. They went on, “Celtic supremo Peter Lawwell and other club figures have been linked to a £434million tax dodge”, linking Martin O’Neill, Neil Lennon and a number of players from the O’Neill era.
Let’s be clear on the facts of this case:
Celtic employees (they did speak to each other) took advice from one of the big four accountancy firms and made arrangements accordingly.
Each of these employees declared these arrangements to HMRC.
HMRC informed them that these ‘investments’ were not offset-able against tax.
All Celtic and former Celtic staff settled this issue with HMRC years ago.
This was reported in 2012 (a cursory internet search will confirm). Nothing new has happened to any Celtic or former Celtic employee since. No Celtic or former Celtic employee is involved in any on-going related issues.
Celtic pay employees through income declared to HMRC. Tax was and is deducted at source and paid to HMRC – including the matter referred to today. They even asked HMRC if tax was due on Juninho’s EBT and paid by return when told it was.
There are no hidden tax schemes at Celtic. There are no side-letter arrangements at Celtic nor has there ever been. There are no disputes with HMRC.
The newspaper headline is misleading; “Celtic and the fax dodge firm”. There is not once piece of correspondence between Celtic and HMRC or any other body on this matter. Celtic deducted and paid tax to HMRC which their employees subsequently applied for relief against. HMRC have not demanded any connected payment from Celtic, nor is any due.
They can pick on Peter Lawwell, Martin O’Neill and Neil Lennon if that is their motivation (their hostility to each of them has been clear for years), but headlines putting the words “Celtic” and “tax dodge” are designed to damage your club. This is unacceptable.
The bigger question is “Why?”
It’s a tax issue reported years ago which nothing will subsequently happen about because nothing is in dispute by any of the parties concerned. So why make it a front page story now?
That remains a mystery for the time being, but know how ‘news’ works in Scotland, and more importantly, know who instructs what makes the news. This has all the hallmarks of a deflection piece before something bigger hits the fan. Someone is panicking.
The issue remains what do Celtic do about this kind of media distortion. Some newspapers are under so much financial pressure they live for tomorrow’s headline, accountability is a luxury they cannot afford to think about. They do not appear concerned at biting the hand that feeds them.
One (good) news journalist I know told me the football guys keep his ‘paper afloat, as no one would buy to read his (worthy) submissions. Football is the last gig in town for the old media. As a consequence, your club will be savaged at any opportune moment, with or without just cause.
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TIMALOY29
We already have 5 in a row, we’re on our way to 6 ;-)
You are correct re. banning newspapers because we don’t like what they print. Who cares, they are becoming more of an irrelevance and most people don’t buy or read them anymore.
Only those with something to hide ban media outlets.
NATKNOW on 13TH OCTOBER 2016 11:30 AM
Let me be totally clear. I’m against these schemes, and people should be using them.
My concern was with the wider implications of your proposal. I think the idea of it is fine.
Video of the North Curve this season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTl0kNKbAJU
FAC the Act
KTF
I particularly like the bit about Celtic PLC requiring an independent check of the nuts n bolts.
https://johnjamessite.com/2016/10/13/a-portmamteau-of-piffle/
MWD
new article posted.
weeminger on 13th October 2016 10:52 am
I see one Joseph Anthony Barton is involved with Phoenix Film Partners LLP, along with James Lee Carragher, Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey, Robert David Keane, Steven George Gerrard and many more.
Ivanhoe? That’s up therewith Rodney Charlton Trotter…
WEEMINGER on 13TH OCTOBER 2016 11:41 AM
NATKNOW on 13TH OCTOBER 2016 11:30 AM
Except the schemes don’t circumvent the rules. They look at the rules and create a scheme that, in their opinion is not covered by the rules.
As soon as it’s proven in court that the rules do apply, the scheme is stopped.
Rules are never intentionally broken. That’s why it’s such a great situation for the accountants.
I think I saw something recently about making the proposal companies liable to either a fine equal to total tax owed or for any uncollected tax (ie due to bankruptcy etc). I think hitting the companies financially would work better than sending some individual to jail.
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You’re splitting hairs on whether scheme designers avoid or circumvent the rules. The schemes are designed with the objective of avoid tax, and it’s that objective that HMRC seek to stop. The current situation is unacceptable.
Since 2010 HMRC have had the power to allow the backdating of tax law – a quite incredible measure.
http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2010/97.html&query=huitson&method=boolean
Despite this, schemes continue to be promoted and sold as legitimate – so clearly, this does not stop people form being conned not stop new schemes being created.
One of the hallmarks of financial crime until fairly recently has been that the punishments handed out have been financial. Most of the big accountancy firms are happy to risk a potential hit – they can afford it and it takes years and costs a fortune to prosecute such a case. Measuring risk/benefit is their bread and butter. Corporate responsibility needs to be more responsible. There are plenty of examples in law of financial crimes that now carry a jail term as sentence.
Winning Captains @ 11.34
Thanks for reply.
Hopefully see less obstacles to browsing CQN in future.
Ps installed ADBlock Plus, and pop ups still stopping me reading after page refresh/change
:-(
Blistering column from the wonderful John James today.OOFFFTTT.
My friends in Celtic,
As long as there are Taxation Accountants they will endeavour to lessen the tax burden on their clients.
That is what they are for.
HH.
WEEMINGER –
Hang on…are you a tax accountant? LOL!
:-)
Intense Style 14:35 @ Haydock Park.
Thought this was Saturday LOL
Senile old git !!!!!!