Gosling's Grouse: Why tax dodging isn't so funny in real life

GOSLING'S GROUSE

Consider the following characters: Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses; Walker from Dad's Army; and George from Minder. What do they all have in common? They did not pay any tax.

In fact I seem to remember the theme tune from Only Fools and Horses had the line: “No income tax, no VAT …” I am assuming Del Boy did not even know what CGT or IHT was, let alone SDLT. All three of these were honourable rogues, partly because they did not pay tax, and partly because they were always trying to make a bit of a turn of something. Usually it did not matter because they were trying to get one over on someone who could afford it – usually the taxman or the government. In fact that kind of character goes back as far as the actor George Cole (he of Minder fame) playing the ...