Time for Alex Salmond to shut up about Celtic's business
The First Minister’s comments are a direct contradiction of Peter Lawwell’s interview earlier in the week when he discussed Celtic’s stand alone policy and how they weren’t dependent on any one else.
Celtic’s audited accounts for the six months to December 2011 showed a reduction of bank debt and no outstanding tax issues.
Since the announcement of Craig Whyte’s intention to take Rangers into administration politicians have been falling over themselves to sympathise with the club despite Rangers withholding £9m of tax since May of last year.
According to the STV website Salmond told David Frost in an interview to be broadcast tomorrow on Al Jazeera: “The most diehard Celtic supporter understands that Celtic can’t prosper unless Rangers are there.
“The rest of the clubs understand that as well, therefore you have to have cognisance of these things when you are pursuing public policy.
“Obviously HMRC have got to pursue in the public interest, taxation. Equally, they’ve got to have cognisance of the fact that we’re talking about a huge institution, part of the fabric of the Scottish nation as well as Scottish football, and everybody realises that”.
It’s unsure which Celtic diehards that Salmond has consulted with but a phone call to Lawwell would quickly put the First Minister in his place unless he wishes to encourage more clubs to deduct Income tax and national insurance without passing the payments on to HMRC.
CLICK HERE for SNP comment on Rangers tax case
CLICK HERE for Police question for Rangers v Kilmarnock
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