HMRC accused of witch hunt against Rangers

RANGERS fans have accused the taxman of conducting a witch hunt against the club over to Big Tax Case which, it is claimed, was a chief cause in the oldco’s liquidation.

A general view of Rangers' Ibrox Stadium. Picture: Getty

Chris Graham of the Union of Fans says the announced by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that it planned to launch a fresh appeal over the case was a “waste of taxpayers money” and instead called on the tax body to conduct its own internal inquiry.

HMRC is to contest a decision by a First Tier Tribunal over the Ibrox club’s use of Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs). It insists that Rangers are liable for a bill of £46.2m to pay players and other staff.

He said: “HMRC have had two goes at this. How many times do they have to be told they do not have a case here ? A line should be drawn under this now and they should just give it a rest .

“It is interesting they are spending so much time and money attempting to win the Big Tax Case but when asked by shareholders, fans, even MPS about an internal inquiry into where the Rangers tax information came from, HMRC completely blank them.

“They are spending an awful lot of taxpayers’ money on lawyers in pursuing thisbut yet won’t answer questions about where (the leaks) came from.”

HMRC’s announcement of their intention to appeal follows a decision on July 9 by Upper-Tier tax Tribunal judge Lord Doherty who dismissed the tax body’s first appeal.