The pulled Leggo blog - HMRC, THE BBC, BAFTA AND SINISTER SECRECY

[ian1964 10,875]

HMRC THE BBC, BAFTA AND SINISTER SECRECY

THE British Academy of Film And Television Arts in Scotland is a now discredited set-up and also a seemingly sinisterly secretive organisation.

 

In fact, thanks to the astonishing high handed attitude of its director in Scotland, one, Jude MacLaverty, there may be some people out there who think the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in Scotland is in cahoots with the anti Rangers cabal inside BBC Scotland’s Pacific Quay headquarters.

 

This is the organisation, headed by Jude MacLaverty, which handed over its Bafta Award to BBC Scotland and Mark Daly for the documentary, Rangers – The Men Who Sold The Jerseys.

 

However, events which unfolded in the wake of the Bafta being handed over, amidst much whooping and hollering from the anti Rangers mob inside BBC Scotland, accompanied by the noise of popping champagne corks, left everybody with a massive hangover which had nothing to do with the bubbly.

 

For the accusations of tax cheating in the programme, levelled against Rangers during the David Murray years, were proved to be a lot of old toffee. Tosh! Stuff and nonsense.

 

 

And to deepen the BBC Scotland hangover, they will now be at the centre of a police probe after claims they may even have obtained some of their information illegally, from a source deep inside HMRC who leaked David Murray’s personal tax records, something which is a criminal act and which Strathclyde Police will now have to act on following the letter to the Crown Office from David Murray’s lawyers.

 

Police, if they follow normal procedures, will move into the BBC and carry off computers and mobile telephones, forensically examine them along with telephone records in their hunt for the HMRC mole.

 

They will no doubt be looking particularly closely at any line to Adrian Duffy, who was based at the HMRC office in Shotts and also at anything which connects the four HMRC men who were regular plunderers through records inside Ibrox, Brian Duffy, Keith McCurrach, Alastair Mitchell and David Dickson.

 

It must be pointed out that, in the case of those four, there is no evidence has emerged to suggest they were part of any conspiracy or wrongdoing.

 

But the case of Shotts based Adrian Duffy is different and much more complex. This particular Duffy was linked to Philmacgiollabhain through them being pictured together on Facebook. However, when Adrian Duffy’s name and his link to Philmacgiollabhain appeared on Twitter, the pictures swiftly disappeared.

 

Leading to the pertinent question. If you’ve got nothing to hide, why hide?

[ian1964 10,875]

The grapevine has also been humming and the jungle drums beating in the last few days with suggestions from informed sources that Adrian Duffy is no longer to be found in the Shotts office of HMRC. If true, it begs another couple of questions. Why? And where is he?

These are matters which I have no doubt the police will concern themselves with during what I expect to be their exhaustive investigation, given that it will be ordered by the all powerful Crown Office.

During that police probe it will also be interesting to see just what other links between BBC Scotland and any other bodies, for instance the British Academy of Film and Television Awards in Scotland, are uncovered.

 

For, once again, if you have nothing to hide, why hide it?

 

In my email to the British Academy of Film and Television Awards in Scotland, I made a number of points and asked a number of questions, none of which were addressed or answered.

 

Chief among my questions was the identity of the judges who handed the Bafta to BBC Scotland and Mark Daly. Plus a query as to how those still anonymous judges may feel about their decision now, in the aftermath of the Tax Tribunal’s Not Guilty verdict rubbishing many of the serious allegations BBC Scotland and Mark Daly were rewarded with a Bafta for levelling against Rangers during the David Murray years.

 

For the purpose of clarity and openness, I reproduce the email I sent to the British Academy of Film and Television Awards in Scotland and the reply from its director Jude, MacLaverty.

 

“TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

 

As a BBC licence payer I have been concerned at a number of events taking place inside the Corporation, including those involving Jimmy Savile and the totally innocent Lord McAlpine.

 

Now comes – admittedly on a lesser scale – the case of the Scottish Bafta, awarded to Mark Daly and his BBC Scotland documentary RANGERS – THE MEN WHO SOLD THE JERSEYS.

 

I concede there were many good points in Daly’s investigation, namely the link between Craig Whyte and Duff and Phelps senior partner David Grier. But many questions remained unanswered, because they were unasked. The programme, like the earlier one broadcast by BBC Scotland, was incomplete.

 

When newspapers were properly resourced any journalist producing an equivalent written report would have had his copy thrown back at him by a news editor – it would never have gotten as far as the editor – with a number of handwritten questions blue pencilled in the margins.

 

Yet Bafta Scotland chose to deliver an award to Mark Daly and BBC Scotland for this incomplete piece of reportage.

 

Since the result of the Tax Tribunal exonerated Rangers, a number of people have called for Bafta to strip BBC Scotland and Mark Daly of the award, something I know is unlikely to happen. It is equally unlikely that Daly and BBC Scotland will do the honourable thing and hand back the Bafta award.

 

The problem for the Bafta organisation is that a degree of what discredits Mark Daly and BBC Scotland, now taints not just their award, but the whole nature of their awards.

 

How can Bafta recover some of its credibility?

 

Firstly, a statement issued through the Press Association, laying out the criteria applied to the awarding of their prize to Mark Daly and BBC Scotland.

 

Secondly, and nobody – least of all a journalist, such as Mark Daly, can find fault with this suggestion – in the interest of openness and clarity, Bafta should announce who the judges were and perhaps issue a statement from each judge – via the PA – outlining their reasons for giving the award to Mark Daly and BBC Scotland, with a further comment from them, adding that now, in the light of events, they stand by their judgment. Or otherwise!

 

I hope you give serious consideration to these points and requests. Or who knows, perhaps next year, Bafta will be considering a programme made by STV delving into the whole murky world of these awards.

 

Certainly, in the days when newspapers were properly resourced, Bafta could have expected such an investigation into them to come from a newspaper.

 

I await you reply and reaction.

 

As aye

 

DAVID LEGGAT”

 

 

Dear David Leggat,

 

We understand that the content of this documentary is a complex topic, but the BAFTA jury for this award, as for all of BAFTA’s juries, was comprised of expert industry professionals who decided the winner through rigorous discussion and debate based upon the category’s criteria. The result of this award – as with all awards decided by a jury – is final, and I’m afraid we’re unable to enter into further discussion as to why particular entries were or were not awarded.

 

Best regards,

 

 

Jude MacLaverty

Director

[Zappa 0]

Leggoland - FREEDOM OF SPEECH NOW UNDER SERIOUS ATTACK

 

FREEDOM of speech is a precious thing. And it is not just under attack by the Levenson Report and Alex Salmond’s eagerness to shackle the Press in Scotland.

 

It is under attack already in Scotland. In the here and now!

 

Many of you will have read what was published here earlier and those who have heard about it and who log in now expecting to read my thoughts will be surprised to discover it has gone.

 

This is the result of what appears to be a politically motivated direct assault on freedom of speech and freedom of expression, coupled with a move towards the sort of police state in Scotland which the Republican Nationalists would love to see.

 

The State censorship came when police officers, acting on direct instructions from highly paid police lawyers, not the Crown Office or Procurator Fiscal, threatened to arrest me and charge me with breach of the peace if I did not remove it.

 

Now, after speaking to a lawyer I believe any such charge would be highly unlikely to materialise. And as I would plead not guilty if it did, it would lead to my accuser being called to give evidence under oath.

 

But even without a charge, police can legally hold you overnight and a lie-in in Stewart Street on a Friday does not sound like an evening at the Ritz. Especially for one of my advanced antiquity. The blog has therefore been removed. For now!

 

However, it seems that in the here and now, in Scotland, police officers – and I attach no blame to them – are being used as an extension of an increasingly Authoritarian Establishment, an all-powerful Establishment which now threatens to stifle free speech when it questions that Establishment’s actions.

 

Whatever sort of a State that is, it is not one which could be described as open, free and democratic. Indeed, it is a dark, sinister and deeply dangerous place which Scotland finds itself in.

 

When anybody, employed by the State, can claim a perfectly legitimate question, posed about their actions, constitutes a Breach of the Peace, we have come to a pretty pass.

 

But that is where we are.

 

No doubt there are many who will read this who will immediately contact their MP and MSP. Others, who are lawyers, will have their own take on the advice given to perfectly professional police officers by the expensive lawyers who advise them. Lawyers, who I must stress, are not part of the Crown Office or Procurator’s Fiscal office.

 

It will be interesting to learn what m’learned friends there think of what has happened

......

AND.....

 

If you are going to the Scottish Cup tie against Elgin at Ibrox on Sunday, get there early and drop in at the Rangers Mega Store where Davie Wilson and I will be signing copies of my book, GREAT SCOT – The James Scotland Symon Story..

 

The signing session starts at 11.30 and lasts an hour.

 

Or at least, it will if we are not raided by polis acting on the say so of their lawyers to confiscate the Scot Symon books and pile them into a heap to be burned.

[kuznetsov 0]

cracking top article leggo.

[kuznetsov 0]

is that the same jude maclaverty lady who had pictures of neil lennon and his players celebrating in the dressing room like they had won the league after beating barcelona, with a caption something like, i wish this was my living room?

[Guest magnus]

The grapevine has also been humming and the jungle drums beating in the last few days with suggestions from informed sources that Adrian Duffy is no longer to be found in the Shotts office of HMRC. If true, it begs another couple of questions. Why? And where is he?

These are matters which I have no doubt the police will concern themselves with during what I expect to be their exhaustive investigation, given that it will be ordered by the all powerful Crown Office.

During that police probe it will also be interesting to see just what other links between BBC Scotland and any other bodies, for instance the British Academy of Film and Television Awards in Scotland, are uncovered.

 

For, once again, if you have nothing to hide, why hide it?

 

In my email to the British Academy of Film and Television Awards in Scotland, I made a number of points and asked a number of questions, none of which were addressed or answered.

 

Chief among my questions was the identity of the judges who handed the Bafta to BBC Scotland and Mark Daly. Plus a query as to how those still anonymous judges may feel about their decision now, in the aftermath of the Tax Tribunalâ??s Not Guilty verdict rubbishing many of the serious allegations BBC Scotland and Mark Daly were rewarded with a Bafta for levelling against Rangers during the David Murray years.

 

For the purpose of clarity and openness, I reproduce the email I sent to the British Academy of Film and Television Awards in Scotland and the reply from its director Jude, MacLaverty.

 

â??TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

 

As a BBC licence payer I have been concerned at a number of events taking place inside the Corporation, including those involving Jimmy Savile and the totally innocent Lord McAlpine.

 

Now comes â?? admittedly on a lesser scale â?? the case of the Scottish Bafta, awarded to Mark Daly and his BBC Scotland documentary RANGERS â?? THE MEN WHO SOLD THE JERSEYS.

 

I concede there were many good points in Dalyâ??s investigation, namely the link between Craig Whyte and Duff and Phelps senior partner David Grier. But many questions remained unanswered, because they were unasked. The programme, like the earlier one broadcast by BBC Scotland, was incomplete.

 

When newspapers were properly resourced any journalist producing an equivalent written report would have had his copy thrown back at him by a news editor â?? it would never have gotten as far as the editor â?? with a number of handwritten questions blue pencilled in the margins.

 

Yet Bafta Scotland chose to deliver an award to Mark Daly and BBC Scotland for this incomplete piece of reportage.

 

Since the result of the Tax Tribunal exonerated Rangers, a number of people have called for Bafta to strip BBC Scotland and Mark Daly of the award, something I know is unlikely to happen. It is equally unlikely that Daly and BBC Scotland will do the honourable thing and hand back the Bafta award.

 

The problem for the Bafta organisation is that a degree of what discredits Mark Daly and BBC Scotland, now taints not just their award, but the whole nature of their awards.

 

How can Bafta recover some of its credibility?

 

Firstly, a statement issued through the Press Association, laying out the criteria applied to the awarding of their prize to Mark Daly and BBC Scotland.

 

Secondly, and nobody â?? least of all a journalist, such as Mark Daly, can find fault with this suggestion â?? in the interest of openness and clarity, Bafta should announce who the judges were and perhaps issue a statement from each judge â?? via the PA â?? outlining their reasons for giving the award to Mark Daly and BBC Scotland, with a further comment from them, adding that now, in the light of events, they stand by their judgment. Or otherwise!

 

I hope you give serious consideration to these points and requests. Or who knows, perhaps next year, Bafta will be considering a programme made by STV delving into the whole murky world of these awards.

 

Certainly, in the days when newspapers were properly resourced, Bafta could have expected such an investigation into them to come from a newspaper.

 

I await you reply and reaction.

 

As aye

 

DAVID LEGGAT�

 

 

Dear David Leggat,

 

We understand that the content of this documentary is a complex topic, but the BAFTA jury for this award, as for all of BAFTAâ??s juries, was comprised of expert industry professionals who decided the winner through rigorous discussion and debate based upon the categoryâ??s criteria. The result of this award â?? as with all awards decided by a jury â?? is final, and Iâ??m afraid weâ??re unable to enter into further discussion as to why particular entries were or were not awarded.

 

Best regards,

 

 

Jude MacLaverty

Director

 

If HMRC have investigated and discovered someone without a business reason to do so accessing someone's tax records they will be immediately escorted from the premises and suspended whilst an investigation is carried out.