A willing taxpayer in The Office

The British comedian Ricky Gervais has made a fortune from The Office, the smash hit comedy he created. In an interview in the Financial Times, this emerges:

"Then come the cackles as he sums it up: “He tried to be humble and coy but his true colours were shown at the end when he said ‘I’m richer than Simon Cowell’.”

Those familiar with The Office will smirk at Gervais' use of the third person in this sentence. But it's this other thing that this son of a dinner lady and a labourer says, which interests us the most.

"Tax exiles are “unsavoury”, he says. He welcomes the educational and health benefits his family enjoyed: “I like paying tax. If it wasn’t for the welfare state I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Well said. He joins Katie Melua and Graham Norton, and doubtless a number of other celebrities whom we haven't picked up on. Good on 'em.