The Royal Television Society – Is It Full of “Rangers Haters”? TV Journalism Award News

I have just caught up with news from last night’s Royal Television Society Awards Dinner. The area being lauded last night was Television Journalism.

Two names familiar to readers of this blog, and more so to followers of the “Rangers Story” were recognised for their work.

The full list of winners can be found here.

The two whom I want to mention are as follows:-

Drum roll please ….

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“Tax Avoidance is a Right” Proclaims SIr David Murray. “No it’s not”, Is Reply

Last week, Sir David Murray emerged from his bunker to issue a statement via the Press Association. RTC commented in detail regarding elements of the statement here on the Scottish Football Monitor.

I think the statement is a masterpiece in answering charges that have not been made, and accusations not been laid. It also includes a statement which, whilst not original, might be seen as the epitaph for the demise of Sir David’s Rangers – “Tax AVOIDANCE is a right.”

Sir David also risks offending even further the fans of his former team by referring the “new” Rangers and “Rangers Football Club” rather than “The Rangers Football Club”.

And it is always a good day when one can quote the great American judge Learned Hand.

Rangers, Sevco and the Law – Threatened Court Actions – Duff & Phelps v BBC

Following the BBC Inside Story, Part 2, recently it was made clear by Duff & Phelps that they were poised to embark on court action against the BBC.

As the Scotsman reported on 24^th May, “RANGERS administrators Duff & Phelps last night threatened to sue the BBC over claims a senior partner in the firm was aware of Craig Whyte’s scheme to buy Rangers using cash from the controversial Ticketus deal.”

The piece quoted the statement from Paul Clark which said:-

“The allegations made in tonight’s programme against Duff & Phelps are untrue, a distortion of the facts and highly defamatory. Discussions are already underway with our solicitors with a view to bringing legal proceedings against the BBC.

 “We made a number of offers to assist the BBC in order they would not make the fundamental errors broadcast this evening and for some inexplicable reason the reporter Mark Daly declined these.

“We had also hoped to give interviews stating our case on camera but received strong legal advice against this course of action, bearing in mind the legal proceedings Duff & Phelps have raised against Collyer Bristow. The BBC were informed in writing from our solicitors.”

The Violence of Silence – A Guest Post by Brogan, Rogan, Trevino and Hogan

The ever lyrical and insightful Brogan, Rogan, Trevino and Hogan has been kind enough to allow me to post his piece this morning from the comments on RTC. So, if you have read it there, it is the same piece. If you’ve not…

I leave the podium clear for BRTH!

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Good Morning,

As usual I awake this morning with nonsense in my head whilst at the same time harbouring some pretty plain questions about mundane things that turn out not to be so mundane after all perhaps.

Let’s stop and consider a few things which we are told are now established facts.

A court appointed professional firm called Duff & Phelps, who have offices throughout the world, are the formally appointed Administrators of Rangers PLC. Duff & Phelps have been ensconced in offices at Ibrox Park for months now and have had the run of the place. This means that they have had access to all the files and documents that go with running Rangers PLC both now, and to at least an extent, in the past.

The BBC and Duff & Phelps – Emails Re Fees Quotation and Questions for David Grier

In which I:

Comment on the response of Duff & Phelps to the emails published by the BBC regarding the “fee agreement” with Craig Whyte;

Point out apparent differences between what D&P are saying now and what they said at the start of the administration process; and

Consider whether in fact Mr Daly could sue Mr Whitehouse for defamation, and thus leave D&P in court proving that they have acted properly, rather than having the BBC prove that D&P acted improperly (allegedly).

I also ask the following question:- What justified Mr Grier, in the summer of 2011, going to HMRC, a substantial creditor of his client, and telling them that he, they, the sellers of the business and the supporters and media have all been “duped”? Presumably Mr Grier got his client’s permission to breach confidentiality. If not, and he viewed this as such a fundamental breach of trust in the client-accountant relationship that he was justified in telling the major creditor that Mr Whyte was, to put it bluntly “at it” (allegedly), how could he, or his partners, continue to act for Rangers/Whyte/Wavetower/Liberty Capital?

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After Mark Daly’s further BBC programme about Rangers, its tax and financial affairs, and the role of administrators Duff & Phelps, there was a vigorous response from the Insolvency Practitioners. I wrote about their response and the questions that remained for D&P and its partner David Grier here.