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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Awe_Naw –
Bankiebhoy’s gonnae get ye.
Auld Tam
I get the blame for everything I do
HH
Why didn’t Wargonefurrabarton’s interrogator tell him: ‘Don’t jabba yer finger at me!’.
Lovely, just lovely!
Awe naw….
Good point and the damage to seats and the toilets!
Maybe Jabba’s been picking the teams, that’s why they are even more sh*te.
Maybe Jabba should be in the team.
Centre half, for his width or wide right, for his pace.
Jabba the gut’s continued presence can only mean that moonbeams is still a player
HH
MW just sits there in resignation wondering what the feck he is doing there. The fact Jabba is pulling the shots at a press conference is astonishing, especially when the subject is perfectly legitimate re. their highest paid player. And the question is coming from Sky, hardly the enemy.
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I’m organising a Race Night as a Fund Raiser for St Mary’s in The Calton (so Fr Tom informed me last week). We’ve had a few and they are good wee nights. If anyone is interested in going, it’s on Friday 18th November. Tickets £5 each and usually involves some free grub as well – pie’n’peas, some home baking etc.
You can contact me at [email protected] for further info.
For those not able to go, I am reserving Race 8 for CQN posters only. You can buy (and name) a horse for £10; you can be the jockey for £10. Winning owner and jockey get £50 each. I could even see if Fr T will throw in a Plenary Indulgence for each winner! :>)
Only 3 horse and 5 jockeys left in Race 8; if it’s over subscribed I can do another CQN only race.
FAC the Act
KTF
A while since I have indulged in Dot Counting so I may be a bit rusty. Nevertheless, I counted only TWENTY available for the Motherwell game this Saturday. Wow!
JJ
AWE_NAW_NO_ANNONI_OAN_ANAW_NOO on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 4:21 PM
Auld Tam
I get the blame for everything I do
HH
______________________________
………… and a lot of stuff you don’t! :>)
Tell yer boy I’ve still got the 2 tickets!
FAC the Act
KTF
VFR – what’s the email address?
PHYLLIS DIETRICHSON on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 4:55 PM
VFR – what’s the email address?
vfr800a8@me.com
Warbiola doesn’t realise that fat clown Traynor is working him from the back…stage managed by Level 5 or what? A shambles of a place
Hi Ghuys, Salve salve:-
Breaking news police Scotland have issued a warning that Scottish football press conferences have become the target of Clowns dressed in Jim Traynor outfits. The public have been advised not to approach these Traynor clowns as they may be overcome by flatulence.
Greenwells.
Avarus animus nullo satiatur lucro
Do you think “We are going bust” will ring out and a conga will form at Inverness like the last time Glaswegians packed it out before administration?
VFR800A8
If he does not pick them up from you I will get them this weekend. Thanks for the info
HH
Noticeable that Puma, 32 Red and Ladbrokes are no longer advertised at the Ibrox presser.
HH
Surprised it’s taken The Daily Thugs and Thieves this long to find another Celtic hatchet job, it is after all, weeks since the sex doll ‘atrocity’
Not sure it’s deflection either, I mean how long can you deflect from having died?
I hope Celtic haven’t and don’t consider using a voice, they missed so many opportunities and spoken when they shouldn’t, too many times already.
Don’t mind the singing about the Sevco going bust BUT it will not be “again”. Remember same flies, different shite.
Language Timothy.
HH
Quite astonishing, Jabba virtually orders Mark Warburton to stop the press conference immediately, and follow him out of the room, which he does. Shocking if you’re a deidco fan, great if you urny…
I reckon Sevco will get by on Old Firm ticket had outs from our PLC.
Best to keep schtumm on that one for sure !!!
HH
Awe Naw, spoke to yer brother.
FAC the Act
KTF
VFR –
Having recently spent some time in Holyrood, and seeing Mr Kelly in action, I don’t hold out much hope for the OBAF Act being repealed any time soon.
The man doesn’t have a clue what he is doing.
Good evening friends
AULD TAM on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 5:39 PM
Need to keep the pressure up; I’m hopeful. Just need to make sure Dugdale disnae “non-vote” again!
Another shambles this week when someone else was acquitted. Lifted for singing the Roll of Honour and the arresting officer admitted he didnae know what the song was about. How can you lift someone for causing offence if you don’t know what the offence is! You couldnae make it up!
Jobo – good evening!
FAC the Act
KTF
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 1:44 PM
Let’s hope the oul’ nightshift get posting again,it was far more pleasant than the discord being sown by one attention-seeking old git in the afternoon.
I have not posted a word today.
My lawyers will be in touch,sirrah.
VFR –
I hope you are right.
I saw the story about Roll of Honour. Laughable.
VFR800A8
E-mail sent to you regarding race night.
Can anyone point out if I’m wrong here, as again I ain’t no expert in finance etc?
There’s a lot of big ” IFs” in my question, my apologises .
IF Celtic FC completely and totally trash this rag story ( leaving aside what former Celtic staff may do legally ?), would Celtic not only be able to sue that rag ?
But also, whilst doing so claim that the lies printed today have tarnished Celtic’s reputation with sponsors etc, and again claim that this attempt to tarnish and accuse Celtic FC was deliberate, and not just down to poor sources giving the rag crap information ?
IF so, would Celtic FC be in a position legally to have this rag name their sources ?
IF so, and it turns out that way, I would love to see Celtic really say ” enough us enough” !
It would be great if Celtic really went after that rag big time, not only after this non story, but to also DEMAND that the same rag be forced to finally admit that IF their source to this non story is employed at Sevco ( Jabba), then Celtic then turn this non story to our advantage big time, by at last coming out and stating that that mob are a new club, and that they demand that the rag prints as such etc ?
IF the source of this non story is Jabba, then hopefully he will have now bitten off more than he can chew, and it results in Celtic and perhaps other clubs standing together against all issues in relation to Sevco and the SFA ?
IF ALL or some of the above happened, this could really all backfire on Sevco with Celtic really gunning for them due to one of their employees feeding this rag with crap about Celtic, and then Jabba is sacked ?
This is not forgetting individuals formerly with Celtic taking their own legal steps against the rag ?
Is any if the above possible ?
HH
an tearmann
Incurred by BDO but not paid to them. The £24 million was originally the basis of a claim by Duff&Phelps against Collyer Bristow re the acquisition of old club. Once in liquidation BDO took over said claim under a Part 7 claim, (a legal procedure under English Law), on the basis that there were “insufficient in the liquidation estate” to properly pursue claim. BDO hired Stephenson Harwood to litigate the claim, which led to Collyer Bristow, (or their insurers) paying up the full amount. (See Report to Creditors 13 November 2014). The 2016 Creditors Report shows that SH were paid over £6.5 million in fees for their efforts. That is the bulk of the drop from £24m to £16m. Interesting though is the fact that while Stephenson Harwood took the case on a CFA (Conditional Fee Arrangement), similar to a no win no fee deal, they were in fact entitled to a 75-100% “uplift” on their legal fees “to compensate them for the risk that they not get paid if litigation failed”. No win no fee indeed. And nice work if you can get it. Not needed as it turned out, still £6.5 million out of the estate of the late club. Nice work all round.
Not forgetting that heads could roll at the SFA also if Celtic say ” enough is enough” ?
That’s an old Donna Summer song from the 1970s !
Like Lennybhoy I too have noticed the lack of wee sma’ hours posts.
2 explanations – (a) no-one’s on the Blog, or (b) all the posts fall foul of the rules.
Maybe it’d make it more interesting if, when the Mods delete a post they tell us who fell foul. We could even have a league table. Or a list, we all love lists…..
I assume that at the very least an individual poster is informed if they have a post deleted?
JOBO BALDIE on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 5:49 PM
Like Lennybhoy I too have noticed the lack of wee sma’ hours posts.
Or the blog was broke ………………
I remember the ole Billy Ocean song “when you go and stuffed”
BIG JIMMY
The problem is that they said just enough to create a headline and allude to some wrongdoing but never printed (as fas as I can see) any factual inaccuracies.
Besmirched the name of our great Club but didnae break the law!
FAC the Act
KTF