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Rangers (IL) directors blame HMRC for Whyte troubles

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Craig Whyte smileFormer Rangers (IL) directors Al Johnston and Paul Murray have blamed HMRC for the liquidation of the club following Craig Whyte’s takeover in 2011.

Murray and Johnston were both members of the Independent Board Committee tasked with finding a new owner for the club and ensuring that whoever took over from Dave Murray had the clubs best interest at heart.

Following the publication today of leaked HMRC documents it has been alleged that the tax authorities took a hands off approach in their dealings with the former billionaire from Motherwell.

While the dynamic duo of Murray and Johnston point fingers elsewhere they are perhaps overlooking their own key roles. As directors in the club their principal task is to ensure proper governance and protect the interests of shareholders.

It seems that travelling the world first class and a club blazer were of more importance than protecting the interests of shareholders who lost every penny when the old club went into liquidation in June 2014.

Speaking to the Daily Record about the latest accusations against HMRC American based Johnston said: “On the back of this, I would welcome a full-scale, independent investigation into the actions of HMRC around the Rangers issue.”

Sidekick Murray added: “I have always said that what has happened to Rangers has been nothing short of disgraceful.

“The club has been the victim of a fraud. A lot of people have made a lot of money at the club’s expense and it has to end.

“It is in the public interest to find out exactly what has happened and then to take action. Justice must be done and be seen to be done.”

Rather than disrupt the celebrations that greeted the triumphant arrival of Whyte, Murray and Johnston kept a low profile having failed to match the £1 bid put forward by Craigy.

With promises of a multi-million pound warchest to see off Neil Lennon the atmosphere in the blue room was euphoric as Whyte took came to power.

Two days after being sacked as chairman Johnston issued a dignified statement saying: “I’m not going to make any comment with respect to the current circumstances at the current time, except that I will say – as a lifelong Rangers fan and a real one – that the 26,000 other shareholders in Rangers, as well as the hundreds of thousands of other supporters need to remain vigilant and continue to exert pressure on Mr Whyte to support the club financially as he has publicly committed to do.

“As far as I’m concerned, the next time we see a photograph of him holding up the SPL trophy, let us all hope – especially me – that he has earned the right to do it. The directors all had an independent view on evaluating all the evidence and circumstances that we were privy to – and everyone came to their own decisions.

“So, I’m not going to second-guess or speak for anyone else. I think the biggest force for change at Rangers is for Mr Whyte to appreciate that there are thousands of fans who are going to police his activities. Not what he says, but what he does.

“I was scheduled to step down on the 15 May, right after the last game of the season, but I agreed with Mr Whyte that I would stay on for a couple more weeks to oversee the circular that he’s obliged to submit to all of the other minority shareholders in terms of what he is going to commit to the club in financial terms.”

Unfortunately for the 26,000 shareholders, plus newsagents, florists, taxi firms, Strathclyde Police, Scottish Ambulance Service and others just over a year after his statement Rangers were placed in liquidation.

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