A group of Westminster MPs are set to accommodate administrators Rangers FC PLC in London tomorrow in the hope of using whatever influence they have to pull a deal together. Political interference in distressed companies is not uncommon but on this occasion the risks of collateral damage are enormous.
Fifa strictly prohibits political interference in football matters and has banned national teams and their representative clubs from international competition for matters as trivial as politically motivated appointments, never mind overt political lobbying on behalf of a football club in tax delinquency.
Prime Minister, David Cameron, commented on Rangers situation last week, although unlike Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, he limited himself to a neutral comment, however, I hear that Treasury officials have already been lobbied to exert pressure on HM Revenue and Customs to agree to whatever necessary to prevent Rangers from suffering the consequences of not paying tax.
Ironically, it’s Celtic and the Scotland national team who are set to suffer. Craig Levein hopes to take his Scotland team into the World Cup qualifying tournament in September while Neil Lennon will hope to give his Celtic team a chance to qualify for the Champions League. Fifa would be delighted to take the British government and football associations down a notch or two after the accusations of bribery at the international body emanating from England when their bid to host the World Cup perished.
Duff and Phelps have nothing to lose from meeting the MPs but with so much at stake for Scotland, Celtic and our other European entrants next season, the Scottish and London politicians must rein-in their over political interference and the SFA must get off their backsides and remind everyone of Fifa rules.
572 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 16
- »
test
…no doubt, malicious attention from those who dont support the ghood ghuys….
Paul67,
Keep Shining that Bright light on the cockroaches…..
They don’t like the spotlight.
The amount of people ready to CRUMBLE is enormous, of that there is no doubt.
This is not just about football.
Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Keep the High Pressure up Paul67, you are our Number 7 of this media.
Hugh Adams, hun visionary. . .
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/top-football-stories/adam_shakes_ibrox_pillars_with_warning_of_bankruptcy_1_595808
Seems like we are back.
Only an hour that seemed like a lifetime, makes you aware what a junkie must feel like :>)
Back on?
cheers Andrew…
Wow, got some work done for last 45 mins.
I see craig Whyte has just won best Con Artist at the Brits
Rangers Administration
This could be an absolute disaster for Scottish football, if UEFA/FIFA see this as political inteference in football we could have sanctions against us. Now given that these MPs are in London, could this have ramifications for English/Welsh football. UEFA/Fifa would love an excuse to take the FA to task, it may give leaverage to remove politicians from this process.
Paul67
Excellent point on previous article regarding Campbell Ogilvie, a man able to reconcile his conscience, for fully 11 years, with earning a living from an employer who refused to employ people on the basis of the church they attended. No indication that he would have left the same employer if they hadn’t amended their sectarian recruitment policy.
Simply appalling.
Keep shining a light. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Thanks for your efforts with the blog.
SwanseaBhoy
A REPLY FROM A SNP MSP
Thanks for your email.
I completely agree with you that football clubs and all businesses should be paying their taxes in full. Individuals like yourself get no choice in this and neither should big companies like Vodafone or Rangers. I think HMRC have been rightly criticised in the past for letting some companies off too easily.
Spending money they do not have is cheating. At the moment this is Rangers but I know Hearts have financial problems too and others like Celtic, Dundee, and Motherwell have had in the past. My own team xxxxxx also got into serious debt (relative to our size) a few years ago and a large part of our current income is having to go to pay that off (hence the disastrous league position). Similarly Gretna cheated teams like xxxxxx out of both points and money by using players they could not afford.
The Scottish government has made it clear there will be no public money for Rangers and I completely agree with that. HMRC are controlled by the UK Government so Alex Salmond and the rest of us in the Scottish Parliament have no say over what HMRC does.
As I understand it there are 2 financial issues with Rangers: present debts of £9 million (plus?); potential £50 million or more if they lose the court case. As far as I am concerned, well paid footballers playing in this country should be paying their full amount of tax here. I have no sympathy for schemes to help rich people avoid paying tax. Tax is a good thing and we need all of it we can get for our schools, hospitals, roads, etc, etc. I am certain Alex Salmond also agrees that Rangers as all businesses should be paying both their debts and their taxes.
Where I guess HMRC have a problem is whether to liquidate Rangers and maybe only get a little of the money or to let them keep operating and pay back over say 5 to 10 years. That way, we the taxpayer might get more money back but it might take longer. That is something HMRC (and any other creditors) will have to decide. Neither Alex Salmond nor I can influence their decision in this regard.
Given legislation as it currently is, it is always open to an individual or company to go into liquidation or bankruptcy at which stage creditors lose some or most of the debt owed. It is then open to a company to reappear as New Rangers or similar. I think this is broadly what Airdrie did (and that caused a lot of resentment from Clydebank). In fact I think it is almost certain Rangers would reappear if they were liquidated. One crumb of comfort for smaller clubs like xxxxxx might be that if Rangers had to start in the Third Division, it would be a great financial boost for us!
If I could change one thing in regards regulating clubs, it would be to ban debt. Make every team live within its means. And if a rich individual comes along to support a team, they would have to put real money in rather than guaranteeing debt as has been happening.
Doc is Neil Lennon
That could be what saves us, the english slant.
Cos I would bet my last cent that the hun would happily take us down with them, and I believe this is their ploy.
Evening, esteemed gents.
Very interesting reading , as always.
I find it incredible that politicians are now being drafted in en masse to back the “fabric of our country”, the “great institution”.
One wonders if they realise the strength of feeling amongst the general public?
It will be fascinating to watch which MPs become involved, and what impact is seen on their ‘career’ thereafter.
Loved the look on Salmond’s face when he spoke of Murdoch’s support…… hilarious! Even AS wants to distance himself from the so called media tycoon. I hope Murdoch sticks to the big neep like glue!
HH
:-) x
Something about this article that doesn’t sound quite right, FIFA rules, remind everyone of FIFAs rules….
THE EXILED TIM says: 21 February, 2012 at 22:20
I think we may well need the FA factor to get Scottish politicians out, they will be happy to bring down Scottish football
in general, but absolutely delighted to pull Celtic down with them, especially when they see there is no way back.
with deep and sincere apologies to John Prine
When I was a child a family would travel
Down the South West of Glasgow where bigotry was born
And there’s a backwards old team that’s often remembered
So many times that my memories are worn.
Chorus:
And daddy won’t you take me back to a Nuremberg Rally
Cos that’s what it looked like when the Rangers did play
Well, I’m sorry my son, but you’re too late in asking
Mister Google-eyes Whytey has hauled them away
Well, later he’d travel in a Police Black Maria
To the “Big House” old prison they call the Bar L
Where the air smelled like socks but they still did the Bouncy
But their sad empty lives were a scream deep from Hell
Repeat Chorus:
Then the Tax company came with the world’s largest invoice
And they tore up the contracts and stripped all the awards
They dug graves for their history till they were forsaken
But they’re still paying back all that they have borrowed.
Repeat Chorus:
When the die let their ashes float down the Clyde River
Let their soul roll on up to the oul Centre Wan
I’ll be halfway to Parkhead with Paradise waitin’
As an unrepentant tax-paying bould Celtic fan.
oglach says:
21 February, 2012 at 21:16
Rutherglen labour Celtic supporting mp’s openly
courted the local orank ludge.
TCC 22.13
Ta for that.
Has anyone seen the You Tube vid ‘Explaining debt to a H*N’. It uses very strong language but is absolutely hilarious. I just saw it when I scrolled down page 990 on Kerrydale Street.
….after the recent events you’d think the old media would have learned a few lessons.
Nup. Spl title decider O@@ F@@@ problem, blah blah…..
when what they are avoiding….or is that evading(?) saying is that they know the bears will go berserk (even by their normal standards) if we take the Title from them in their own midden.
Shameful.
They’ll make this our problem, and our fault.
The huns must not be humiliated.
Mp’s would sell their granny’s for votes to continue
the ride on the gravy train.
Stand by for a BRTH post, he’s been chapping at the bit on twitter ;-)
Come on BroganRoganTrevino&Hogan get it posted…
hh
bjmac
THE EXILED TIM says:
21 February, 2012 at 22:20
Let them try. ;)
Celtic have acted correctly, continuously, despite knowing their opponent was doping.
If you drop a line in with just one hook, you only have the possibility of catching one fish.
If you drop a line in with lots of hooks, if you are really patient, you might get a lot more fish.
some songs for the demise :
UB40 : one in ten
Tom Waits : ice cream man
Tom Petty ( again ) : Free falling
PC67
Never alone
Re your response to my post on viewing figure.
If you go to the BARB website, it gives you a breakdown week by week and game by game and whilst you won’t get the exact data cut you want , you can extrapolate and draw conclusions.
Lads no more posts from me from FF, BANNED tonight when I tried to log in.
BJMAC
He posted recently on RTC.
Quite up to his usual standard,it was.
BJ Mac Is a fanny!!
Phew– feel much better now– been waiting for that for ages!!!!
I am not overly worried about the meeting between the Gate Keepers and the MPs.
Two reasons, I have dealt with MP enquiries in my time, whilst not on the same scale as the orcs demise, the principal is the same. Basically you formulate a response and dispatch it. The MPs are being lobbied on this occasion, just much in the same way as you or me would do about an issue we have. Invariably the MP does their job, sends a stiff letter and the recipient sends their response, case closed.
Second reason. The HMRC were slated by the Public Accounts Committee for hammering Businesses who did not pay their dues. Damned if they don’t do their job and damned if they don’t.
I am quietly confident the HMRC will do their duty. Afterall our hero has held up on his side of the bargain and defaulted on an agreed payment plan.
If it is also true that he has done a runner, it is game over. Who do HMRC get their money from now, blood out of a stone will be 75 million times easier.
I smell liquid…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
BRT&H
Your most concise and accurate post yet :-)))))
Doc
Liquidation is a certainty.
The sums just don’t add up.
These guys would happily take great plesure in wiping us out as well, they would be heros.
Celtic, I hope, are using Dr John as we speak to exert his influence to sort this out.
I said years ago we should we wary of the powers, and it seems they are just starting to show their teeth, the fight is going to be a dirty one, and the outcome as yet is anybodys guess.
Personally I think the time is now for us to inform the SFA/SPL of our intent to resign.
I know others will say where do we go, if we allow this to happen it wont matter, the game will be a bogy anyways, football in scotland will be finished.
If we show our intent now, uefa will have no choice to assist us, and I believe the other big clubs in europe will be on our side.
Hen1rik
have you been rumbled?
Mind you, on a more positive note, we’ll be spared the putrid, odious outpourings of that bunch of neds, whose behaviour consistently surprises, in terms of the depths they plumb!!
Good for you for the sneaky peeking that you do.
HH
:-)
hen1rik
No offence intended but I’m glad.
Don’t need no stinkin FF
Thumbsup
bjmac
Well you would spoil the surprise.
Thot this was app in the current climate!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZSdet7QWrM&feature=related
Thanks to the ever necessary Andrew from Belfast for getting us back.
Nakagod, I hear you.
BABASONICOS71, will do, thanks.
RobertTressell, no info.
EKBhoy, I hope they get some publicity tomorrow.
jackie mac, I think so.
Carrigan, good call.
Clashcitybhoy, could be.
AAFG, deleted, long link stretched the page. There is a link creator on the top left margin of each page.
bigphil47, right first time, head is fried.
mic1888, oh well.
Petec, no, they sure don’t like the spotlight.
Possilbhoy, comment deleted. The long unbroken line extends the page with making it difficult for mobile users to read the site.
On your point, though, the Celtic Football and Athletic Club is still in existence and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Celtic PLC.