“Conscience not only puts us in touch with our own uniqueness, it also connects us with the universal true-north principles that create quality of life.” Stephen R Covey

I’m a little amused by all the posturing currently undertaken by both sides in the UK political arena about tax avoidance. For those who don’t know, the allegations are that some donors to political parties use various lawful loopholes to avoid paying income tax.

I have plenty to say about tax in general, but the arguments being made in this particular ‘debate’ are that people are using lawful means to avoid paying tax and this is ‘morally wrong’. Labour politicians are screaming about Conservative donors doing it, while the Conservatives and the press are now attacking Labour donors for doing the same thing. Both sides are derisive (publicly) of anyone who ‘does not pay their fair share of tax’ – whatever that is.

And of course not long ago MPs on both sides were using exactly the same justification – lawfulness – to claim nonsensical allowances to inflate their wallets. BOTH SIDES. Hundreds of them.

If they listened to their consciences they wouldn’t have made the claims in the first place. If they listened to their consciences they would stop misspending money taken in tax. If they listened to their consciences we’d have an altogether better political ‘class’.

Conscience is class-less. It speaks the truth – every child who knows they’ve done wrong is aware of that.

Politicians – perhaps you should remember that.