Q: My friend runs a much-loved crafts shop. There’s a sign in the window which says: ‘We pay our taxes – unlike Amazon!’ But recently I worked a shift for her in the shop and my friend said I should encourage customers to pay by cash. When I asked why she said that card transactions were automatically recorded on the bank statements which go to her accountant, but that when people paid by cash she could be more flexible with the income she declared for tax purposes. ‘It only gets spent on wars and dodgy contracts for the government’s mates,’ she added. But it feels hypocritical, and I want to tell her I don’t agree. I know it’s not on the same scale – she doesn’t even make much money from the shop – but surely there’s no such thing as ethical tax-dodging? Confused of South London
A: When you’ve dispensed as much fine wisdom as I have, dilemmas start to present themselves as easily solvable. Worried about cultural appropriation? Queasy about slum tourism? Doubting the value of activism? Agony Uncle has a prescription. But I have to say, this letter floored me. My instinct is that what your friend is doing is wrong, but almost every path that I followed came up against a wall.
