Here We Go Again?…
What is it about Morecambe Football Club that seems to attract Dodgy people from all over the planet, be it Essex; Brazil or the Punjab?
Yesterday morning, HM Treasury made the unusual move of making this statement:
“The UK has today announced an asset freeze and director disqualification against Gurpreet Singh Rehal (REHAL) who is suspected of belonging to organisations involved in terrorism in India. HM Treasury has also announced an asset freeze against a group, Babbar Akali Lehar, for promoting and supporting the same terrorist group…
All funds and economic resources in the UK owned, held or controlled by REHAL or Babbar Akali Lehar are now subject to an asset freeze. These designations will prevent all UK persons and entities from dealing with any funds or economic resources owned, held or controlled by either REHAL or Babbar Akali Lehar; or making funds, economic resources and financial services available to or for their benefit. This includes any of the entities they own or control, without a licence from HM Treasury or an applicable exception.
REHAL is also subject to director disqualification sanctions which prohibit him from acting as a director of a company or directly or indirectly taking part in or being concerned in the promotion, formation or management of a company.”
Taken at face value, this is really heavy duty stuff. But we must remember two things before we get too hysterical about it.
First of all, HM Treasury is hardly Special Branch; MI5; MI6 or the Crown Prosecution or Security Services. It is not a judicial arm of the state and Mr Rehal is not facing either criminal or any other charges which might end-up with him facing a Court of Law. What they have expressed is a suspicion alone; not the sort of `without doubt’ proof of wrongdoing which would be demanded for a criminal prosecution.
Secondly, we must think about the word `terrorist’. What is a terrorist? Well – according to the British Government and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela was one not that many years ago. As he rotted away on Robben Island in apartheid South Africa, the organisation he led – the African National Congress (ANC) – was also proscribed as a terrorist organisation in these islands. But many people who agreed with Thatcher’s characterisation of what is probably the nearest thing we have to a Twentieth Century secular Saint in the shape of the first President of a multi-racial South Africa have very conveniently forgotten all about this these days. They were on the wrong side of history. Currently, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu has a live Arrest Warrant for War Crimes issued by the International Criminal Court for the genocide the Zionists are still committing against Palestinians on the Gaza Strip and West Bank. But the reaction of the current British Labour government – led by a Zionist who is married to a Jewish woman – is to ignore this edict and instead have many people who have protested against the genocide labelled as `terrorists’ for simply publicly expressing their solidarity with the defenceless people being butchered in Palestine. Sir Keir Starmer and his cronies are also on the wrong side of history.
So we really need to take any use of the word `terrorist’ with a very large pinch of salt: particularly when it is just a suspicion rather than a provable fact.
Let’s get back to the point, though. In a bid to understand the ramifications of the MH Treasury ban for our club, Senior writer Simon Hughes wrote this in the Athletic yesterday:
“Singh is not listed as a director or person of significant control (PSC) at either Panjab Warriors or Morecambe on Companies House and his role does not feature on Morecambe’s website.
Yet when Panjab Warriors completed their takeover in August, breathing life into a financially distressed club that started its National League campaign late, Singh featured as the sole representative of the ownership group in the photograph that appeared on the club’s website.
Other Panjab Warriors members, such as Kuljeet Singh Momi, Ropinder Singh and Harjit Singh, are listed as part of Morecambe’s board of directors and football administration on their website.
The Treasury was asked by The Athletic whether the sanctions affect Morecambe but it declined to comment.
Singh’s company, Saving Punjab, where he acts as the chief executive officer, according to his LinkedIn page, as well as Whitehawk Consultations, are on the banned list, according to the government’s release.
The Treasury described the move as a “landmark action,” having triggered the Domestic Counter-Terrorism Regime for the first time since its powers became active in 2019.
Panjab Warriors, Morecambe FC, the English Football Association and the National League were all approached by The Athletic for comment.
A spokesperson from the UK’s independent football regulator (IFR) said: “We are working with relevant authorities and using our statutory information gathering powers to look into this matter urgently.”
The IFR was created this year to “protect and promote the sustainability of English football” and it had a bill fast-tracked in August by the Labour Party to ensure owners could be stripped of their right to run clubs.
The IFR, however, was not operational when the deal to buy Morecambe was signed off by the English Football League (EFL), which did not have to examine any application involving Singh because he was not listed as a director or a shareholder.
Only on Tuesday, Singh reported on his LinkedIn page that he was on Morecambe duty, having met with Phil Alexander, the CEO of the National League.
“The last time we spoke was during a very turbulent period in the takeover process, so it was great to reconnect in calmer circumstances,” Singh wrote.
Singh suggested that he and Alexander discussed a campaign to increase the number of promoted clubs into League Two. “It’s an important step for fairness, competitiveness, and the long-term health of the football pyramid,” he added.
Productive meeting today between our Director of Communications Gurpreet Singh with National League CEO Phil Alexander – positive steps forward, key talks on the #3UpCampaign, and continued relationship-building for the future…
Singh also published a photograph, which included Alexander and the local Labour MP, Lizzi Collinge, wearing a Morecambe scarf.
Late last month, Singh appeared in parliament on behalf of Panjab Warriors, where he received an award from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), which recognised the group’s impact on the Sikh and Panjabi community. A statement released by Panjab Warriors described a “historic moment”.
“Panjab Warriors will continue to open doors, break ceilings, and create pathways for the next generation,” Singh wrote on his LinkedIn page.”
So has he created another `historic moment’ for our club?
It would appear not. Without mentioning him by name, the official Morecambe FC website made this statement late last night:
“An individual who previously held a consultancy role in marketing and communications with our organisations is no longer affiliated with either Morecambe FC or Panjab Warriors.
This consultancy position carried no strategic, financial, or operational authority, and he had no involvement in the ownership or club decision-making.
Following recent serious concerns that have come to light, we took immediate and decisive action, and his association with both organisations has been fully removed.
Both organisations operate under strict governance and compliance standards, and we have used this moment to further strengthen our internal processes, including enhanced due diligence checks for key personnel. We will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities and in full alignment with all regulatory requirements.
We remain firmly committed to ensuring our clubs uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and community values.
As per long-standing policy, we will not comment further on individuals who are no longer engaged by the club.
Morecambe Football Club Ltd
Panjab Warriors Ltd“
There have always been rumblings about Panjab Warriors and how – to mix cultural metaphors – Kosher they really are. I wrote an article about them on this site at the height of the Whittingham Take-Over crisis, for example, which drew largely on other people’s interpretations of what sort of organisation was about to take control of our precious club:
So is that the end of this story? Time alone will tell…
shrimplythebestfootball 