17/10/2012 Reporting Scotland

Welcome to Reporting Scotland. Tonight we speak exclusively to the

former Rangers owner, Craig Whyte. He gives us his version of events -

what the administrators knew about the ticketus deal, the claim he

duped Sir David Murray, and his regrets. I was driving the train

when it crashed, but I was not the one who started it. I won't say I

lied, but maybe I was and as open as I could have been.

We'll have all the reaction to his claims. Also in the programme:

Craig Levein under pressure - with Scotland's World Cup campaign

effectively over, even the man who gave him the job says he should

resign. Unemployment up and an economy

shrinking faster than previously thought - the grim picture painted

by the latest figures for Scotland. The Royal Navy steps in to refloat

one of the little ships that rescued hundreds at Dunkirk.

The former owner of Rangers says the club's administrators were

involved in a conflict of interest and dragged out the insolvency

process in order to make more money. Craig Whyte bought the Ibrox club

from Sir David Murray last year with the help of a cash-for-season

tickets deal. In an outspoken interview with Reporting Scotland,

Mr Whyte denies duping Mr Murray, but admits he misled the fans. The

report from our senior football reporter, Chris McLaughlin,

contains flash photography. A man of mystery, never far from

controversy. In May he took over at the leading club into

administration. He took cover. Now, Craig Whyte says he wants to set

the record straight about how he bought the club and who knew what

about the controversial process. was, if you like, driving the train

when it crashed, but I did not set off. The issue of an administrator

conflict of interest was raised in a BBC documentary. They said they

did not know the company tickets we used to fund the takeover. But...

Everyone was aware how the deal was structured and thundered. They knew

from the beginning that the ticket cash was to be used? 100%. They

knew everything, they attended meetings. Was there a conflict of

interest? According to you they knew the situation over the funding

and subsequently they were to administrate the club? It is

morally wrong. I was surprised they were able to take the

administration on. Fans were left furious when they found out Craig

Whyte was not using his own cash for the takeover, but theirs.

was selling tickets in advance. Isn't there something morally wrong

with selling on tickets that have not yet been bought to fund the

takeover of the club, when you are not willing to put your own cash

in? That would be like me saying I want to buy Rangers, would it not?

You could have done exactly that, if you had been interested.

David Murray promised he would only sell to the right person. He has

simply -- since claimed Craig Whyte duped him. I am not sure what he

thinks he was duped about. But if you look at the agreement, it

mentions season-ticket funding. It mentioned using third-party funds

and goes into great detail about insolvency, about selling the new

company and what would happen if the new company was set up. How he

could say he was duped, I do not understand. The administrator had

the job of buying -- finding a new buyer. We went out and used or

contacts in the city to put this deal together. So you got Charles

Green to the table? Absolutely. club is in the Third Division and

at the start of a very long road to recovery. His is a blow to Stirling

Albion... What part did you play in his downfall? I was, if you like,

driving the train when the crash but I did not set it on this path.

But you made mistakes? I did. you lie? I wouldn't say Allied, but

maybe I wasn't as open as I could have been. I made mistakes.

lied? I wouldn't necessarily say that. I should have been more open

about the funding arrangements and how bad things work. I deeply

regret at not being more open about that. Regrets, apologies and

allegations, but will it wash with those who have watched their club

suffer? The history books a weight. And Chris joins me now. Chris, what

has the reaction been to these comments? Yes, administrators have

released a statement which says the allegations against the

Also, a statement from Charles Green and the Rangers chief

executive. He says he had no previous association with Craig

Whyte and it is misleading to suggest he brought us in. No quote

from Sir David Murray. And you can see a longer version of

The man in charge of the SFA when Craig Levein was appointed says the

Scotland manager should resign. Craig Levein is under intense

pressure after last night's 2-0 defeat in Belgium that left the

Tartan Army's World Cup hopes in tatters. But while the Scotland

boss is determined to carry on, the former SFA Chief Executive, Gordon

Smith, believes he should go now for his own good. Steven Godden has

more. After a night to forget in Brussels,

the Scotland boss arrives home to face the music. It is over, the

goalkeeper again... Defeat by Belgium leaves them bottom of the

grid, their hopes of World Cup qualification, all but extinguished.

The consequence for Craig Levein, the kind of headlines that

international managers seldom recover. I want to recover. When I

see the players putting that much effort in, they are 100% on side

and doing their best. Any group of players that does the best, will do

for me. But the man who stood next to him when he was appointed,

things his time is up. I think he should resign. Then he won't have

on his CV, he was sacked as international manager. It will look

as if he walked away, and I think it will be better for him to do

that. Since taking charge, his mantra has been progress. His

record was three wins from 12 competitive matches. In the midst

of a general disillusionment, mixed views from supporters all over the

country. I think he should go. He is a nice man, tactically and are

worth. I don't think he has much of a future. I don't know who will

take over. It is the players letting him down. Look at Alex

Ferguson and United. He was under an instant success, give him a

chance. The SFA chief executive says the board will meet in the

coming days to discuss whether World Cup campaign has gone wrong.

As they make their decision and Craig Levein's future, battering on

the door will be public opinion. They want to make sure Scotland's

progress to the World Cup does not skip another generation.

You're watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC. Still to come on the

programme: How the sharks circled as a Scottish politician join them.

With more on the fall-out from Scotland's defeat in Belgium, one

Scotland legend tells us it is not Craig Levein to blame, it is the

players. And get on your bike - that is that

-- what one of our reporters did today. Find out how he got on in

the new Vellow drone. Scotland faced a deeper recession

in the first half of this year than previously thought, according to

the latest figures. Meanwhile unemployment statistics also

published today show the number of Scots seeking work rose during the

summer. Our business and economy editor, Douglas Fraser, has been

looking at the figures. Jackie, two lots of figures, both

of them a bit like the state of Scottish football. Let's look at

jobs first. The number of Scots seeking work between June and

August was up by 7,000 to reach 222,000. But more significant, it

contrasts with today's numbers for the whole UK. Unemployment in

Scotland stood in August at 8.2%. More widely, it's dropped to 7.9%.

Better numbers on those claiming Jobseekers' Allowance, down 1,300

to just below 140,000. But why was the headline figure diverging? It

could be temporary recruitment for the London Olympics. And while it's

not welcome there's at least one part of Scotland not only doing

well, but eager to find skilled workers. Stephen Duff, reports from

Aberdeen. The latest batch of graduates

employed in Aberdeen. Business is booming at the oil and gas company,

500 skilled jobs have been created. A skills shortage coupled with a

low unemployment rate in Aberdeen, means the company is looking far

and wide for the right people. we have looked at doing is to bring

people in from the armed forces. Transferable skills and electronic

engineering, we are finding useful. The oil and gas industry has

sheltered Aberdeen and the north- east from the blight of high

unemployment. But it is a tale of two cities. It is getting harder to

get a job. I had been looking for two years. How many CDS have you

put in in that time? I don't know, quite a lot. About 40 in the space

of three weeks. I still haven't heard anything back. It is

disappointing, quite degrading at times as well. In this corner of

Scotland, the jobs are there, but for people like Sophie, it is about

having the skills and experience to get one.

So a mixed picture on jobs, alongside confirmation today that

the recession last winter continued into summer. The previous figures

for gross domestic product, the amount we produce together,

suggested the downturn was quite shallow. But today that's been

revised downwards for the start of the year and we learned last spring

saw things worsen. And while Scottish retailers said today their

takings last month remained lacklustre, one curious exception

last month was an unusually early boom in stocking up sweets for

Christmas. Gives us something to look forward to.

Aberdeen's long-awaited bypass can finally go ahead. The last legal

obstacle was overcome today when judges in London dismissed an

appeal by the local campaign group, RoadSense. Work will get underway

immediately and drivers should be on the route in six years time.

Well, Colin Wight, is in Aberdeen at one of the city's best-known

bottlenecks. Surveyors on the bypass route today

and torrential rain. It is not just the weather, preparation has been

held up in legal rows. Today, the Supreme Court in London delivered

its verdict. Legal challenges have reached their inevitable end and we

will have to look at the possibility of lobbying and

objecting to the scheme by other means. They had been talking about

a route around Aberdeen for decades, but it was in 2003, the then First

Minister, Jack McConnell, gave a strong commitment. The route was

designs, planned and amended and the public inquiry gave its

approval. Homes and schools were torn down. Work can now begin in

earnest. This is big news for the north-east of Scotland. It is a

major project for the whole of Scotland. A project comparable with

the and 74 and the MAT which brought such benefits to the west

of Scotland economy. It is big news for the whole of Scotland. It is

wonderful news. It will unlock so many projects in the north-east of

Scotland. We cannot overstate the importance of this decision. It is

good news for the long-suffering motorists. It is fantastic. It is

about time we don't have lorries traipsing through and they can go

around us a rather than clogging the getting to work in the morning.

It is about time. Drivers can soon expect to see major preparations

along the route with an expected As a way of highlighting an issue,

it's certainly unusual - a Scots MEP has been diving with sharks in

an attempt to stop a practice called shark finning. Alyn Smith

says a loophole in European law needs to be closed if fishermen are

to be prevented from cutting off fins and throwing sharks back into

the ocean alive. A politician out of his depth, perhaps. How are you

feeling? Little bit nervous. Preparing to meet creditors in

front of the public. It is theory being close to these creatures are

but this is to tighten a weakness in European law which some Spanish

and Portuguese finish -- fishing boats are exploiting. There are

some loopholes which allow the catch to be essentially treated as

by catch which is fictitious. The carcasses are thrown back dead or

dying into the water. It is barbaric. The body is low-value

shark meat but the Finns are prized as a delicacy in Asia. -- the fins.

The EU adopted a ban on shark finning in 2003 but this has

allowed it to go and noticed an unpunished. It is essential that we

remove this loophole and bring it in line with best practice around

the world. Scotland has been congratulated for imposing a total

ban here three years ago. But the Shark Trust insists they must be

comprehensive ban on shark finning. A look now at what else has been

happening across the country this Wednesday. A man is facing a prison

after being caught with 3,000 bales of cannabis resin worth up to �2.5

million. He was caught with the drug in a minibus he was driving in

December last year. The sentence was deferred on the 31-year-old in

the High Court in Glasgow. A report by air accident investigators say

planners did show helicopter in the North Sea because of a force the

gearbox warning light. It came down 20 miles east of Aberdeen in May.

No one was injured. Ferry fares are to rise by 3% next year. There will

also be a cut in the number of return sailings from three a day to

two. Campaigners are campaigning Eggar's the closure of the National

Museum of Scotland costume museum. The future of the museum is under

threat because of high costs and low visitor numbers. This museum is

to have the treatment of investment and proper investments. They made a

fabulous job of the other three museums that they have invested in.

Many firework displays will mark the countdown towards the 2013 new

year as part of the celebrations in Edinburgh. From my pm, there will

be a factory minute display on the hour until the main event at

midnight. More stories from your area and the latest news 24 hours a

day on BBC Scotland's website. If Let's turn our attentions back to

sport, and Jane. The chief executive of the SFA

Stewart Regan says the board will meet over the next few days to

discuss Craig Levein's future as Scotland manager. The pressure is

mounting after defeat in Belgium means Scotland have taken just two

points from their four World Cup qualifiers so far. Regan's

predecessor Gordon Smith says Levein should resign, but one

Scotland legend says it's not the manager's fault. Some fans made

their feelings clear during last but's defeat in Brussels but with a

new man in charge of Scotland make any difference? This man knows a

thing or two about playing in a successful side. He says no. If

everyone believes we have got the players, then Craig Levein should

go. But I don't believe we have the players. Until recently, Scotland

have a proud history of World Cup appearances through the '70s, 80s

and for the most part -- part, the nineties. Scotland were there. But

after France 1998, it is their very different story. Brazil 2014 looks

unlikely. So, is that simple? Do other countries just have better

players? Belgium Stuart any showed plenty of class last night. --

Belgium certainly showed plenty of class last night. That defeat

leaves Scotland at the foot of the qualifying table but according to

the players, the manager is not solely to blame. We believe in him

as a group, as individuals. We hope we can qualify now looks very

difficult. But we can still progress as a team and progress,

going forward. Will it be a new manager will the SFA stick with

Craig Levein? Either way, it looks like it will be 16 years and

counting before Scott and runs out on to the World Cup stage again. --

Scotland. The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in

Glasgow is well and truly open to the public and the search is on for

the medal winners of the future. The cycling World Cup comes to

Glasgow next month. But it's not just about elite athletes. Come one,

come all is the message to the Scottish public. Jonathan

Sutherland strapped on the lycra to find out more. Who is going to get

it? Chris Hoy gets the gold medal. The next Sir Chris Hoy is out there.

With the Velodrome in Glasgow which bears his name now open to the

public, the idea is kids will come and be inspired. Today, we're

getting the chance to try out. Which means of course, I do have to

get changed. To this. I am pretty much all set. Having never actually

cyclones in a Velodrome, the coach keeps me right. No brakes. A single

speed. You can't stop pedalling. Just like going to these women port

or the gym, people can come to the Velodrome, and cycle. Believe me,

even as a complete novice, it was totally exhilarating. It is also

very much an elite sporting venue as well. The Zaken World Cup is

here next month and the Commonwealth Games in 2014. If all

the youngsters passed through the door, one or two of them might be

the Olympic gold medal winners of tomorrow. The chances are there is

another Sir Chris Hoy or another Bradley Wiggins out there going to

school today within a couple of miles of where we are now and

having this Velodrome gives us the opportunity to it and by that

talent and give an environment in which that talent can be grown.

What have we learnt? The Velodrome is completely open to the public.

The World Cup comes here next month. And we have also learnt that I

don't look especially good in lycra. It is not all bad, Jonathan wearing

lycra. You may remember a few months ago

we featured the Skylark 9 - the last remaining Scottish boat which

helped saved the lives of hundreds of Allied soldiers during the

Dunkirk evacuation. Then, it was languishing at the bottom of the

River Leven without someone to save it from a watery grave. Laura

Maxwell can tell us what happened next. The day started full of hope.

Skylark 9 may have sunk two years ago but now, the Royal Navy have

come to her rescue. We tried to get her off the bottom and we have so

we have achieved that aim, we are trying to keep her afloat at the

moment. The Royal Navy have been working here for eight hours, they

have managed to lift Skylark 9 off the river bed that -- but there is

a hole in the bow and it means the water is pouring onto the ship

faster than they can pump it out. Skylark 9 was one of hundreds of

the little ships which answered the call to Dunkirk in May 1914. In the

years since, the ship took cho rizo out on Loch Lomond but the link was

the -- was always maintained. Beagle played the Last Post and the

Reece and poppies were laid on the water. But this bird has been under

water for months and as light faded this morning, so did hopes of

success. We have to sit down and think about what will happen, we

will get advice from the Royal nervy about how we'll get it out in

one piece. -- the Royal Navy. Royal Navy will be back here

tomorrow trying to save the vessel. Christopher joins us now with the

Christopher joins us now with the latest weather. We promised wet and

miserable today and we certainly delivered. Hopefully, better

tomorrow. We saw an awful lot of rain across the country today.

Tonight, the rain should be fading. It will be frost-free. At the

moment, we have this band of brain. With this area of low pressure

across Ireland, it will continue to move its way northwards. Some heavy

births a cost Fife. In behind it, generally drier, cloudy overnight

but nowhere near as cold as we saw last night. It will be frost-free

with temperatures no lower than five or six. Into tomorrow, Mr have

the rain not too far away. -- we still have the rain. Through the

day, we run the risk of seeing one of two light showers almost

anywhere across the country. There will be some very limited

brightness across the Borders into East Lothian and maybe Lanarkshire.

Some outbreaks of rain. Further north, generally cloudy. One of two

light showers. The winds will be lighter compared to today. Had

fully, feeling a little bit warmer. -- hopefully. In the evening and

during the hours of darkness, it will work its way in. This area of

low pressure continues to stay with us as we head through Friday. It is

filling so it is not as bad towards the end of the week. Most of the

showers focused in Orkney and Shetland. Highs up to 11 or 12.

Saturday, the low pressure goes away and a ridge of high pressure

starts to build so it looks like a fine start for the weekend. Gerry

dry and bright. Temperatures up to 12 degrees.

Now, just before 7pm, a summary of tonight's top stories:

Unemployment across the UK has Unemployment across the UK has

fallen by 50,000 between June and August but the number seeking work

in Scotland has risen by 7,000. The UK Government described the latest

figures as a landmark moment. But Labour says a growing number of

people can only get part-time work. The former owner of Rangers says

the club's administrators were involved in a conflict of interest

and dragged out the insolvency process in order to make more money.

Craig Whyte bought the Ibrox club from Sir David Murray last year

with the help of a cash for season tickets deal. Mr Whyte denies

duping Mr Murray but admits he misled the fans. The administrators

have denied the allegations. E The Government's Chief Whip is under

continuing pressure tonight over an incident in which he swore at

Downing Street police last month. At Prime Minister's Questions, the

Labour leader Ed Miliband renewed his call for Andrew Mitchell to be

sacked, saying he was now toast. And that's the news so far this