Bribes, gifts and scandal: 7 stories of corruption that shocked Britain

"From the acceptance of bribes to tax evasion, claims of corruption and scandal have featured heavily in recent news. But we mustn’t forget that corrupt systems and the unscrupulous individuals who exploit them are not a phenomenon of modern life" says Professor of History Mark Knights. Here, he explores seven instances of corruption in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries in BBC History magazine.