Robbie Williams 'tipped for New Year's Honour after being cleared over controversial tax row'

Robbie Williams has been tipped for a gong in the King's New Year's Honours list after being cleared over a controversial tax row. In 2019, the Angels singer was in line for an OBE but had the honour blocked because he had used a controversial investment scheme.Robbie, 52, was the first celebrity known to have fallen foul of an ‘honours blacklist’ for wealthy individuals with question marks over their tax affairs. Now, however, he's said to be back in line for an OBE and potentially even a knighthood in recognition for his charity work with UNICEF and Soccer Aid after an investigation 'green-flagged' his tax affairs.A source said: 'He has raised hundreds of millions for charity and this year was the 20th year of Soccer Aid — which was his idea. So his name has been put on the list by the charity and philanthropy committee after it was green-flagged. 'There are more hoops to get through, and it needs to go forward to the main honours committee and then the PM and ultimately the King.' Robbie Williams has been tipped for a gong in the King's New Year's Honours list after being cleared over a controversial tax rowThe insider added to The Sun: 'Anyone who is high-profile is checked and vetted thoroughly. And one of those checks is their tax affairs, so it is a good sign for him that HMRC have given him the thumbs-up.' Robbie Williams' representatives declined to comment. The Daily Mail has contacted the Cabinet Office.The former Take That singer was initially given a gong in 2019 New Year’s honours list for his charity work and success as a pop star.The honours committee nominated him for an for OBE but later decided against it following an intervention by the taxman.The senior HMRC civil servant who informed the honours committee of its veto suggested Robbie was himself to blame.‘If you do not pay your dues to the Athenaeum you cannot expect to enjoy the benefits,’ the official reportedly said, referring to a Pall Mall club frequented by Whitehall mandarins.In addition, Robbie had challenged HMRC over his tax affairs – which is also said to have been a factor in the scrapping of his OBE. ‘They did not like the fact that he had contested the matter,’ said an insider.‘It came up in discussions about whether to give him an award.’ Robbie was nominated for an OBE for his ‘contribution to the entertainments industry and Soccer Aid charity’.Robbie co-founded Soccer Aid in 2006 with Jonathan Wilkes and the event aims to bring nations together to help raise money and awareness for children worldwide.The biggest charity football match in the world, Soccer Aid has gone on to raise more than £137million for global children's charity UNICEF since its creation. But in 2015 it emerged he was one of 140 celebrities linked to a film investment scheme. He was said to have paid £2million to investment firm Ingenious Media. In 2015 Robbie was nominated for an OBE for his ‘contribution to the entertainments industry and Soccer Aid charity’. Soccer Aid is the biggest charity football match in the world Last year, David Beckham finally got a knighthood. He was on the cusp of being made a 'Sir' back in 2014, but concerns were raised after he was caught up in an alleged tax avoidance scheme, which was later deemed to be legitimateSet up to help people defer their tax liability, it required a £50,000 stake. Customers were able to claim tax relief against almost the entire sum they put into the partnership.Movies funded by Ingenious included The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Vera Drake.The firm disputed claims by HMRC that it amounted to tax avoidance and is involved in a long-running and complicated legal appeal. A tribunal previously found that, while Ingenious traded legitimately, investors were not entitled to the tax reliefs claimed.Robbie was not the only celebrity to be banned from an honour because of his tax affairs.David Beckham was on the cusp of being made a 'Sir' back in 2014, but concerns were raised after he was caught up in an alleged tax avoidance scheme, which was later deemed to be legitimate.And in February 2017 he took aim at the honours committee for taking him off the list for the gong, leaving his hopes of an honour in tatters.However, last year, David finally got a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours list after years of campaigning.