14/12/2016 Scotland 2016

If defending racist, messages mean you are a bigot, do the same sorry

mean you're not any more? Tonight, tipped as the man to sort

out Scottish football's performance. Should Malky Mackay be allowed to

put his own shadow texting performance behind him? Also,

Holyrood gets powers to raise income tax then fails to agree how much we

should pay this year. And a record-breaking eight million profit

for the monks of Buckfast. We will be having a taste to see what all of

the fuss is about. He was a top flight manager

in the English premiership but a series of racist text messages

sent from his phone Today, Malky Mackay emerged

as the front-runner to be the SFA's

performance director, but one MSP has said they should

not give him the job. Some say his past comments make him

unsuitable for the job, others reckon he's done his time

and has been rehabilitated. This report from Suzanne Allan

contains offensive language but the BBC's feels it's important

in telling the story. Malky Mackay, a former Celtic and

Scotland player who took a Cardiff City into the English top division

before being sacked by the Welsh club and being investigated for

sending discriminatory text messages. Today, he emerged as the

frontrunner to be the SFA's new performance director. MSP 's deputy

convener of the Scottish Parliament's L Transport Committee.

She has called on the SFA to rule them out of the running. He may well

have a future in football but this is a really high profile job. This

is a job they are to promote youth football and women's football and I

do not think it is an appropriate post for him. The text messages

surfaced to years ago. He had already been sacked by Cardiff City

for poor performance. It was later that the texts were uncovered. They

are racist and anti-Semitic. This is about the arrival of a South Korean

international player. And this on suitable agent Phil Smith. Malky

Mackay has apologised and appears to be contrite. Today, on BBC Radio

Scotland's Kaye Adams programme, his agent went on the defence. If your

listeners knew Malky Mackay, he was known to be a good man from a good

family with good values. He is a talented individual. He has had

three years of not being able to take his place back in a place of

employment on the back of the text messages. We know why that penalty

has been placed upon us. We have dealt with that but we want to get

back to work and we did not just apologise now, we apologised then.

And an antiracism charity is backing his appointment. After admitting to

sending text messages that were very regrettable and disrespectful to

other cultures... One football writer says she

believes him. I do not think there were smart and I think he will

accept that they were not a whether it was sexist or racist comments,

anything that was said at the time, he knows they were not clever and

are not accepted in normal society. Quite rightly. He has learned that

lesson and has apologised for them. He has taken classes to try to

educate himself and I think having done that and shown that willingness

to try to educate himself and improves, we have to show a

willingness to be bigger and accept that. Obviously if there is any hint

that those indiscretions are going to creep into his role as

performance director that is an issue we would

need to deal with at the time. It is thought that Malky Mackay will be

unveiled tomorrow in his new role. No doubt he will hope this whole

controversy is behind him. Joining me now are

the columnist Kevin McKenna and in London

is Graham Campbell, Chair of African Caribbean

Cultures in Glasgow. Graham, I wonder, would this be an

appropriate appointment to make by the SFA if indeed it happens

tomorrow, given that this was three years ago and Malky Mackay has

apologised? I think it is not a question of whether he has

apologised or not. Obviously these comments are racist. I do not think

Malky Mackay is the right person to judge whether he is a racist or not,

I think that is for other people to judge. But I do take the point that

I do not think he should be excluded from football forever, but they

should not be given one of the top two jobs in football. That is my

issue. Is he qualified to do this job? What record does he have

obvious development, community development, outreach work, in the

organisational planning or strategy? The SFA have got a great strategy,

Project Brave is the great strategy, is Malky Mackay the right guy to do

this? I give him some slack because I am a Celtic and West Ham vanity

and he has played for both of those clubs. Yes, he should be back in

football but not a nice job. I do not think he is qualified. Kevin,

you know him well, what is he like? I do not actually. I know people who

know him but I have never met him. To take up the point that was just

maybe, the SFA would not have entertained the idea of hiring him

if they did not think that he was a modern, progressive thinker and a

gifted and talented coach and by and large 's record in football has born

not out. On the regrettable messages that were sent between him and his

assistant a few years ago, he has apologised. I have read quite a lot

of sanctimonious comment in the last two or three days basically saying

that he should never be allowed, if he was not to get this job because

of this, he would not get another job in football. And the people who

are detracting, on his detractors, have to ask whether this is a

combine punishment for something that happened a few years ago, was

out of character. From what I know of him, these text messages were out

of character. Nothing in his conduct before or since suggests that he is

a racist, misogynist, sexist. I am sorry, Kevin. Somebody who writes

fing chinkies and associates Jewish people was being a money grabbing,

is a racist and anti-Semitic. Hang on, he is 45 years old, unless you

know every detail of his life... I do not have to, I have seen his text

messages. I think Scottish photography on the verge of making

of making a progressive appointment. I think it is important that

messages of inclusion are also sworn into them, messages of compassion.

Do you think Malky Mackay is the guy for that? The FA at the time said

there is an expectation of privacy in text messages. Well, the Leeds

manager Association at the time of the it was a bit of banter. The

reaction of black players like Jason Roberts and Stan Collymore did lie

to that when they were absolutely appalled at the association's

attitude and they were forced to apologise. Malky Mackay was in

appointed by Wigan and Wigan's German-made comments in defence of

the which were worse than what was made public. He was suspended from

football for six months, quite rightly. But was the apology for

Malky Mackay and his friend he was text in question they were not

punished. I will not see his grandmother 's bad as the other

ones, each should have led to a suspension though. He should have

been punished. -- I will not say his was as bad. But where is the

redemption? You have undergone this equality training and Show Racism

The Red Card said he is talented and the SFA want to use him. When you

let somebody get on with their life? It is pretty simple. Malky Mackay

should be allowed back in football. The transgression he made was not as

bad to require a three-year ban from football management, which

effectively have happened. He should be a football manager, because that

is what he wants to do. If you take this role, the first possible job

that is half decent people take. You will not be there to see through the

changes that the SFA want to make. The SFA is in danger of undermining

some of the good work that it has done with black communities and

women to create and promote equality and diversity in the game. They

employed, five years ago, six football equality officers, which

brought progressive steps. They are in danger of undermining the

progress they have made. I do not agree with that. On the topic of the

SFA, given that the kid had to make the announcement it was going to be

investigating allegations of child abuse within the game, is this the

best time to be making controversial appointment? Will do not be aware of

the sensitivity? Yes, I think they will be. I note the people who are

the senior office bearers at the SFA, they will not have taken this

lightly. He has got a lot of respect in the game, Malky Mackay. I do not

agree that he will use this as a stepping stone to get straight into

management. You know, this is an important post. He has also had the

backing of progressive young football managers such as Mark

Warburton at Rangers, Derek McGuinness at Aberdeen... Two of

which he has worked with at the club when he was the boss. Surely you're

not questioning their integrity! I am not saying that, but they are his

friends. My friends would say the same for me. Out at a lot of

credence to their views. They with young people each week of their

careers. Yes, they do. Excuse me. They have got a duty of care to

develop young people. Under no circumstances would they risk

undermining the work that the clubs do with young people is they thought

by backing somebody... By backing somebody that they thought was

putting the wrong messages in terms of inclusion and diversity. Purely

from a good point of view, do you think it was a good appointment?

Yes, I mean, would you appointment such as this, there is a risk.

Scotland is not exactly blessed with world-class football talent or

coaching talent. But I think he is as good as we have at the moment.

OK, very quickly, back to you, Graham. Do you think there can be

rehabilitation on this issue, if you like? Can people change? Of course,

people can change and they should change and should be given the

opportunity to change. But you do not then appoint them straightaway

to one of the top jobs in Scottish football. It is two years later. I

think he should be back in football management because it is a skill

that. I do not say where he has got the skill set to effectively do a UN

negotiating job between clubs, the SFA and became available. What about

promoting women's football and diversity and equality? I do not see

that somebody who has made those comments, he needs to do a lot more

am I bid to make up for that. I hope of years announced tomorrow that he

does a lot to allay those fears that there are from communities out

there. OK, Graham Campbell, Kevin McKenna, thank you.

Earlier tonight, Holyrood failed to agree

how much income tax we should pay next year.

It follows a full debate called by the Conservatives,

who objected to the Scottish Government's plan

that higher earners here should pay more tax than in England.

There are now urgent behind the scenes negotiations

as the Finance Secretary is due to deliver his budget tomorrow.

Here's our political editor Brian Taylor.

So, more talk about tax. But listen, this is not just political rhetoric.

This is real. This is about your tax bill. That is because this man,

Scotland's Finance Secretary, now proposes the tax you pay on the

money you earn, and here is thinking. The three rates of income

tax, 20p, 40 pins and 45p in the pound, will stay as they are. What

changes is the threshold for the higher rate. From April, in the rest

of the UK he will start to pay ?40 on the pound when you're annual

salary reaches ?45,000. But in Scotland, that operate will kick in

when you are earning 43,000 430. -- that poor rate. To be clear, you

will not pay more packs in Scotland than you do in the moment, indeed

your bills may go down as a result of changes to bands, including a UK

wide increase in the starting point. But if you're one of the 300 people

here in Scotland who income tax at that higher rate, then you will end

up paying roughly ?300 more per year than you would in England. The

contrast Labour favours increasing Scottish tax by 1% and today focused

on a new 50p rate for the highest earners. Kezia Dugdale said it was

about helping those who are struggling. A mother working two

part-time jobs, the lower contracts with no security about her finances

from one week to the next. I see her worrying about the clear her mother

gets. I see a local library being cloud and the one place she could

take her children are free disappearing altogether and it

doesn't have to be this way. Derek Mackay turned on the Tories who

instigated the debate. The Tories have reverted to type, London

controls, tax cuts for the ditch, abandoning universal services and

talking Scotland down. Five votes resulted in a stalemate with no

position ruling the day. Politics is absolutely stuck in Holyrood as far

as tax is concerned. There have been Cox among the parties and Derek

Mackay needs just one of the other parties to work with him or abstain

to get it through, but on the eve of the publication he hasn't got the

numbers and hasn't got that acquiescence. Labour and

Conservatives will stay as they are, fundamentally opposed to the

possession and I don't think they will shift, so he will look to the

Liberal Democrats and Greens who have their own possessions on tax

and will advocate them vigorously. He might look to pick them off with

an offer on spending. I don't detect any willingness on the part of the

Scottish Government to shift on tax. They believe they put forward a

detailed plan on the election and say they got the biggest number of

seats as a consequence. I think there will be a deal and as of

tonight at Holyrood there is no deal.

Shortly before coming on air, I spoke to the SNP's Kate Forbes

and the Conservative's Dean Lockhart.

The Scottish Conservatives are opposed to the SNP plan not to

replicate the UK Government's cut for higher. Why are you against this

plan given that it was only going to cost those higher earners every

year? Scotland has underperformed the rest of the UK for the majority

of the time the SNP has been in government so we think we need a

base to the Scottish economy because under the new powers coming under

the fiscal framework, the budget in Scotland will be determined by

economic growth in Scotland so I think the government should be using

all the letters that has available to boost the economy and is the

highest taxed part of the United Kingdom that will be bad for

business and the economy. But does revenue not need to be raised as

well? The best way to raise revenue is to have faster growing economy.

This year the Scottish economy will grow at less than 1% compared to

2.1% for the rest of the UK and calling former couple have a direct

impact on the level of spending available to the Scottish

Government. We are saying to the SNP to make use of the powers you have

in order to boost economy. Going for a bird you will have more money to

spend and more money for public services such as the NHS and

education. Do you except Scottish firms may be forced to top up

salaries of higher earners affected by those changes and you could end

up making Scotland less competitive if there is any difference between

tax rates? Ie do not accept that and I think we made it quite clear what

this is. It has been a tax cut to the highest earners south of the

border. The Conservatives are constantly telling us not to compare

ourselves to the rest of the UK and that is precisely what we did in the

debate today. We have new powers, they evolved tax powers, and we are

going to make the decisions that are right for Scotland. Tax is a balance

sheet with money going in and out. In order to protect public services

that are vital to Scots across this country, we have to make sure that

we have a reliable source of revenue and we do not think this is the time

to be cutting taxes for the highest earners while those in the middle

and lower income brackets are still struggling. But what about those who

say you are not being radical enough and the Scottish Greens' tax plans

are more radical, and Labour would tax the highest paid, those earning

over 150,000 a year, more than you would. Could you not take a look at

that group and take more tax from the? We certainly could take on the

tattered and that is what we are doing and we are continuing to do

that. So far the evidence suggests that 14% of income tax revenue comes

from those in the additional brackets, and if just 5% of them

chose to leave Scotland we wouldn't make any extra revenue by raising

the top band to 50p. We need to make sure we have a reliable source of

revenue to safeguard our public services but we will keep it under

review. What is your response? I think the best way to boost spending

on public services is to expand the economy and of Scotland is the

highest taxed part of the United Kingdom then business has a choice

between Scotland and the rest of the UK, and they may choose to set up in

the arrest of the UK because already tax, business tax, is hired in

Scotland and now we are seeing that employment pacts will be hired in

Scotland and employers will have to pay additional amounts to attract

skilled workers to Scotland. We have a system where the replacement stamp

duty is higher in Scotland as well, so the message the Scottish

Government is sending out not only to the list of the UK but the rest

of the world is that Scotland is becoming a high tax jurisdiction and

that is not the message we need right now. I would say to keep tax

parity with the rest of the UK. We need to increase public spending on

the budget available but the way to do that is to expand the economy and

you don't do that by increasing taxes. What was the point of going

through the smashed commission and getting these powers and they're not

using them? We have suggested for example and a passenger duty and

there are areas where we can explore having a different tax position to

the rest of the UK. We have proposed a cut to a passenger duty on long

haul flights. There are areas where we can be on tax competition with

the rest of the UK but we are seeing, let's not make Scotland the

highest taxed part of the economy because it will be back -- of the

United Kingdom because it will be bad for the economy. Politically

there is an issue now, that your party will need this budget to be

bolted through the Scottish parliament. We do you see the

support coming from? We are going to bring forward the budget tomorrow

that supports the economy, that tackles in equality and that

safeguards public service. We have taken advantage of the demolition of

new tax powers to make sure that we are protecting the income of those

at the lower and middle ends and we are passing on the tax cuts that the

Conservatives have passed on to the higher earners. We are going to

continue to build consensus with other parties but as I said before,

tax is about a balance sheet. We need a steady income in order to

safeguard the advantages that we have north of the border in terms of

free prescription charges, free personal care, free tuition fees and

the vital services, that wouldn't be protected at the Conservatives were

in power. What do you see as the red line issue is? We do you see your

party going in terms of supporting, what you might hear in the dark

budget tomorrow? We have always said Scotland shouldn't be taxed higher

than the rest of the UK. It is interesting to hear the comments

from the head of the SNP's brought commission who said the best way to

increase revenues is not to increase tax rates but the tax base, increase

the number paying tax at the higher level. While this may seem like a

small increase for people at the high-end of the tax scale, over a

five-year period it really mounts up and if people have a choice between

being employed in Scotland are setting up a business in Scotland or

the rest of the UK, our concern is the will gravitate to the list of

the UK, and that'll be bad for the economy and for public spending.

Local government is expecting some form of cuts tomorrow. Do you think

it is a well-placed fear? I think that since 16-17, we have been fair

to local government and will continue to be, and will ensure they

are protected from the cuts passed on to the Scottish Government and

will make sure those public services are thanks.

Here now to talk about that and some of the day's other stories

are the former Scottish Labour adviser Simon Pia

and the health journalist Pennie Taylor.

Good evening to you both. The draft budget day tomorrow. Really, tax and

then contacts are the ones to look at. This is quite a pivotal point in

the history of the Scottish Parliament and government and

devolution. Is anybody going to step for broadband have the nerve to put

up tax. We have been stuck in this neoliberal consensus for 30-40 years

and mainstream politicians are just terrified of the electorate. They

are getting hit by the press on raising tax. The SNP have bottled at

about and they are not passing on the cut that the Tories have given

and they have been severely criticised for that, but the real

test for Derek Mackay, I think, is what Labour and the Greens and Lib

Dems have all suggested, putting 1p on tax right across the balance. I

think they should have the nerve to be bolder, because independence is a

radical and the bold step. The SNP have been far too cautious and

gradualist and they have got so far and will not get any further unless

they give an alternative, and I think there's an appetite for change

and in public services. Do you think it would politically acceptable just

to raise especially the higher rate? I think by not making the reductions

in the higher rates of tax that are going to be coming in south of the

border, that is a statement of a sort. That goes some way to make

thing those ends, but there has been a lot of announcements about plans

for the future, that have spending implications. 50,000 new, affordable

houses in Scotland over the next five years. Education is clearly in

need of investment. For me, social care is the one area that I would

like to see significant investment in. It is underfunded at the moment,

and by doing that you would save the NHS money I sorting that out. Let's

go on to talk about Brussels because Alex Salmond was there.

Alex Salmond has been meeting with

the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker

ahead of collecting the first Coppieters Award,

which will honour the former First Minister's

"contribution to advancing Scotland's democratic case

He was actually receiving an award as well. He is being honoured. And

the late for Alex Salmond, and I think it serves both their purposes,

because they allowed him a bit of time in the spotlight and he knows

it robs the UK's nose in it, with tensions between Brussels and the UK

Brexit government, and it gives them a platform, and it is also a

recognition, he is a Flemish politician this is an order of, and

he was all for regionalism and diversity in the EU. Scotland is a

prime case of that. Was he the person that should be speaking to

Jean-Claude Juncker? It with you that approached Jean-Claude Juncker

and suggested the appointment, and one of the purposes might also be to

get the backs up of his former colleagues in the Scottish

Government, because he has been known to contradict Scottish

Government policy, so it would have been very interesting to be a fly on

the wall earlier. But John Claudy and is a consummate diplomat. He

would be happy to welcome her men but when Nicola Sturgeon went to see

him he basically said, you have to sort out the relationship between EU

and the rest of the UK before you can talk to me. Time for a drink

now, because the monks who make Buckfast have media record ?8.8

million last year. Sales make up most of the income for its

charitable trust. You two have a light refreshment, other tonic wines

are available. Have you tried it before? I have two confess to being

a buckie virgin. I smell fish and chips. Sweaty socks and a deep-fried

Mars bar. Coatbridge table wine. It has a slightly unfortunate

reputation here in Scotland? It has been linked, both by Strathclyde

Police and last week by a sheriff in Dundee, to violence. It is packed

with caffeine and has quite a high alcohol content and that is an

unfortunate mix. Don't drink too much of that! And the monks

themselves, the financial situation is not entirely clear in terms of

profits. I am surprised that they seem to be doing so successfully. I

thought younger people weren't a trendy drinks. To me this is very

much and fashionable. The first time I tried this was on Coatbridge to an

old firm game, as a neutral! It is pretty foul tasting. There are

cocktail recipes I think. Cheers to you both.

That's it for tonight, and that's it from Scotland 2016.

Thanks for being with us over the past three years -

we hope you've enjoyed watching as much as we've enjoyed putting

We'll be back in the new year with a new programme.

Look out for details early in January.

So for now it's goodnight and goodbye."

about his love for American folk and roots music.

Did you have a sense that you were playing with a living legend?