WATCHING the excellent BBC Panorama shows on the Paradise Papers there was one overriding emotion – anger.

Before I write this column I must stress that I’m well aware that the individuals and businesses caught up in this scandal have not broken the law.

But, let’s be clear, actively searching for loopholes to exploit the system and avoid paying tax is morally unjust.

Take the allegations against Lewis Hamilton, a four time Formula 1 world champion whom I have supported for years, in one of my favourite sports.

Sadly it appears he has managed to let his fans worldwide down after being named in these papers.

It has been alleged he avoided taxes on a £16.5 million Bombardier jet, as the papers reportedly show he used an Isle of Mann scheme to receive a £3.3 million tax rebate.

Again there was nothing illegal here, and Hamilton stresses he was told it was legal by his financial advisers. But crucially, it was morally wrong.

It is a choice to even consider using these schemes, let alone going ahead and using them.

A reminder. Lewis Hamilton is reportedly worth £130 million.

The 32-year-old is not the only high profile name of course, and it is likely he won’t be the last.

The main issue here – the key reason for my anger – is that these loopholes even exist.

Analysts estimate £3-6 billion is lost in tax each year, with trillions stashed in offshore tax havens. Everyone has to pay tax. People understand it is a necessity to fund the vital public services we all rely on.

But every penny lost to a sophisticated loophole means schools, hospitals and emergency services lose vital cash they desperately need.

The system simply isn’t working, and authorities should have done more to ensure we never got to this point. These revelations have only strengthened the thought there is one rule for the rich, and another for the rest.

The leak of the Paradise Papers – 13.4 million documents – follows a similar leak of the Panama Papers, in 2015. At that time I remember the outcry, and people assuming the system would be fixed.

Yet here we are again.

I grew up believing in the British sense of fair play – but after all these latest revelations, I’m wondering if that was lost a long time ago.