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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Beatbhoy- it’s getting late….:)
ACGR,
i am not making it on saturday,
but maybe catch you for the BM game next week
VFR, are you in Coias on sat before the game? I’ll buy a horse in your horse night thing, sounds like cause but I’ve nae idea what its about or how it works so maybe explain it to me over a beer and some fat bhoy fry from Alfredo’s kitchen.
HH
ACGR…..
I love you…..yer my kind oh parkie…
You,d be a hopeless bowler…as you have little bias!!!…..
Never worry …there are hundreds and hundreds watching your back….
Ma good self alone would make them smile !!!!
Braw
ACGR @ OUTLOOK DOT COM – GET YOUR FREE THE ZADOK RINGTONE on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 10:27 PM
Sounds like a plan! What time? I may be meeting Awe Naw at some point on Saturday.
FAC the Act
KTF
I mind my mrs trying to drag me out of the star hotel in Montrose one sunday afternoon after I went golfing on the with some golfers, some fishermen and some fishermen golfers. A two day bender, and she might have been right that I said I’d be home about eight after the golf. But tell ye what, warbutton getting dragged out of the hun press conference puts my size 22 to shame.
I’ll show her the vid and she can learn how it should be done…………………………ha ha, huns. All you ca do is laugh at them.
https://youtu.be/lQQnA4OziZ0
Wee Jay charms Greece
VFR, I’ll be there at 1PM wi a twenty in my hand.
BOGNORBHOY
No, I have not seen this.Thank you very much.I know what I will be doing tonight :-)
I was at the concert in Warsaw few years back. Van Morrison will be in Edynburgh and in Glasgow in November.
Vale Bhoy
You are welcome.If Feel free to contact me if you see that I can help.Paul has all my contact details.
Ghordy64,as much as I love you bruv, its not you I’m interested in. Its my hipper, I’m running low on flasks and have a few drams to be handing out, with nothing to put them in…………………………….:_(
Hope to see you next wed and you can tell me what you thought of the dram. I value the opinion of anyone who’s sampled my produce.
HH buv
ACGR ….in your hand…..20 mill….
Or a racing doo ???
Braw
So given that none of our Scottish players got much of an outing in the last couple of weeks, Lustig was rested, Moooooooosa, is on fire and I’ve read of no reported injuries we have a full squad available to face motherwell on Saturday.
That’s all I wanted out of this worthless international break.
brawbhoy, is that a question, a statement or a poem?
It’s hard to tell reading your prose.
If its a question, I’d cook the pigeon and pocket the twenty (quid, million or otherwise, I like pigeon)
If its a statement, gaun yersel.
If it’s a poem, it’s a short one and as much as I like it, it’s no very good.
Dramm on lhad,
HH
ACGR
Saw your bullet flask in the pawn shop next to the bookies in Clydebank shop centre. Mmmmmm
;)))
ACGR @ OUTLOOK DOT COM – GET YOUR FREE THE ZADOK RINGTONE on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 10:34 PM
VFR, I’ll be there at 1PM wi a twenty in my hand.
——————–
That’ll dae fur ma breakfast and beer!
Cheers mucker!
BTW, Lustig wisnae rested, he’s injured.
FAC the Act
KTF
ACGR…. I take it your working a rig …so no wee drams….kiLA.y kissy …you sound so west coast….LA…??
Livingstone or Alloa ????
Braw….
Smiley thing …
We have to vote for Indy 2 or for ever more be dangling from a riotous and hard Southern cock!!
No sae braw.
Zbyszek
Hope you and family are well.
Just heard the sad news that a good auld Tim lost his battle with stomach cancer.
God rest you Swiggy.
A strong man and a magic father in law.
Islay born and loved a dram and Celtic FC.
Delaneys,
ssshhh i get paid ramorra,
so i can get it out
Delaneys,
does his first name start with J
Cock Quick News…
No sae braw
Braw
Gordy
Iain MacSwiggan RIP
Delaneys,
different bhoy i am thinking of
Delaney’s
Apologies for my inconsequential interim words….
Iain MacSwiggan RIP…
Braw
It cannot be just my good self alone that thinks the PM and the Chancellor are twins..!!!
Look closely.
Braw
NB
No chance would I think you were they words you used against yourself.
The auld yin never lost a square go in his life.
Cancer knocked him out.
VFR
I think we’re a naturally suspicious lot on CQN, so when new posters arrive their posts are examined more than those of more regular posters.
Personally, I think you’ve been a breath of fresh air and knowing MMc I can personally account for your credentials.
I’d like to thank you on a personal note for continually promoting the repeal of the OBaF Act, something I should have been doing more of. Unfortunately, several issues have taken up time lately, one of which was the Minx’s uncle Charlie who’d been very, very ill.
We were told in May that he had hours to live and the family prepared for the worst. Charlie fought it for 5 months and only succumbed today just before 3pm. His family have been tortured watching him slowly, and then extremely quickly, waste away.
Recently, I’d visit and one day he’d sleep through the conversations around him. The next, I’d walk in to be welcomed by him asking, “How’s the Celtic doing Chris?” For 15 minutes we’d discuss players, tactics, formations and everything Celtic related. He loved it. This was his normality.
He was a genuinely, lovely, caring and special man. And he absolutely loved the Celtic.
Charlie Finlay, you’ll meet Our Father and St Joseph now, and ten in a row is a certainty, RIP.
NB, hanging from a southern cock? Hmmmmmm.
May suit some but it’s not on my list, I’m with you on inD2.
HH and send me a mail to my acgr@outlook dot cm addy. we can square way som dram sruff fromtere bruv.
DD / G64, ya pair o funny bassa’s, live the dram, not the dream.
Die huns die…………………………did I forget anything?
Celtic
Hamiltontim, regards to yourself and H, and condolences to H on the passing of her uncle.
Best to you both bruv.
Hail Hail
HAMILTONTIM on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 11:34 PM
Lovely tribute , Chris.
Kind regards to yourself and the Minx.
May Charlie requiescat in pace.
HT
May Charlie and my father in law Swiggy RIP
Acgr/Macjay
Thank you lads.
DD
May Swiggy find eternal rest G.
HT
Really sorry to hear that. Sounds like a good man.
Give Helen a hug from me.
Thoughts and Prayers.
MWD
MWD, get back in yer cage
cos yer needed to fend off the early daily record ranter.
DD, HT and Ms Minx.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEZUU-l8Nso
They Hung Out The Flag of War
HH Brothers and Sisters
ACGR
Who he\she?
MWD
DD
Thoughts and prayers for your da in law.
MWD
Mwd
He was D, the very, very best, honestly.
Cheers mate.