Swindle artist and politician (4)
I believe the answer is:
ramp
'swindle' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'artist and politician' is the wordplay.
'artist' becomes 'RA' (Royal Academician, member of Royal Academy of Arts).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'politician' becomes 'MP' (Member of Parliament).
'ra'+'mp'='RAMP'
(Other definitions for ramp that I've seen before include "Slope or low hump on a road" , "Incline" , "Level-connecting slope" , "Sloping path between levels" , "One with an inclination" .)