Rangers boss Craig Whyte won't receive apology from BBC Scotland over documentary

[ian1964 10,761]

BBC Scotland will not say sorry to Rangers owner Craig Whyte after being threatened with legal action over a documentary about his business career, we can reveal.

 

Whyte - who accused the Beeb of "muckraking" - has offered to drop his damages action against them if they say sorry.

 

He banned the BBC from Ibrox last month after they claimed he may have broken the law in previous business dealings.

 

And Whyte ordered London solicitors Carter Ruck to sue.

 

They wrote to the BBC offering them the chance to retract some of the allegations and apologise to avoid a damages claim.

 

But BBC lawyers have written back standing by the documentary and refusing the offer.

 

Senior sources last night said the Beeb will not be retracting the claims or making an apology.

 

Yesterday a BBC Scotland spokesman said: "We stand by the programme."

 

A spokesman for Whyte said: "This legal action against the BBC is not about money.

 

"Mr Whyte refutes all allegations of criminality made by the BBC."

 

As Carter Ruck are an English firm, they cannot appear in Scottish courts on behalf of Scottish clients.

 

They have hired Glasgow media law firm Bannatyne Kirkwood France, on Whyte's behalf, to sue the corporation.

 

Sunday Mail

[biggordy 0]

Sue them and give the cash to Erskine.

[chilledbear 16]

Sounds like he is backtracking.

[pete 2,499]

Sounds like he is backtracking.

 

Certainly doesn't look like he is 100% confident of winning.

[der Berliner 3,813]

Sue them for 5m, get 3m and pay of the minor HMRC case. The mhedia and BBC Scotland chaps will be fuming ...

[Guest Dutchy]

I think that he's in danger of getting more and more investigations into his past life and business dealings with this action. Although, it's worth the hassle not only to him, but the general public as a whole. If anyone can do anything to curb the power and poor standards of todays journalism, of for what passes as journalism, then that can only be a good thing.

 

The trouble is, he has to use the more slimmy world of lawyers to achive that.

[Bluedell 5,679]

Sue them for 5m, get 3m and pay of the minor HMRC case. The mhedia and BBC Scotland chaps will be fuming ...

 

Anything from this case would go to Whyte and not the club.

[pete 2,499]

Is it double post day.

[bluebear54 0]

Agreed with chilledbear and Pete. My take is that his lawyers have said "You haven't got a cat's chance - maybe you ask them to apologise?"

Last resort here is to make this non-cooperation thing with the Beeb become permanent.

No loss to us.

[Zappa 0]

Whyte must be made of money if he can afford to sue the BBC.