When multinationals minimise their tax bills, it puts the burden on everyone else

In her conference speech, Rachel Reeves promised to take action against those who do not pay their fair share in taxes. The Chancellor should start with companies such as Amazon. The online trading giant made £856 a second last year in the UK but paid just 3.45% of its turnover in tax.

Rules may allow this but when multinationals are allowed to minimise their tax bills in this way, it puts the burden on everyone else. It also hands Amazon an unfair advantage at a time when high streets are struggling due to the competition posed by online retailers.

When Ms Reeves delivers her first budget next month she must make spending cuts and raise taxes to fill the £22bn black hole in the public finances inherited from the Tories.

She has already had to remove winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners. This would not be necessary if corporate giants were prevented from using complex accounting procedures to lower their tax bills. This Labour government should have the courage to take the action their Tory predecessors ducked and dodged.

Covid lessons

The toll of caring for patients during the pandemic was described in harrowing detail yesterday. Professor Kevin Fong told the Covid Inquiry how NHS staff were overwhelmed by the number of people dying.

The politicians who were in charge at the time should be forced to listen to his evidence. It was not just a reminder of the dedication and compassion of the frontline staff. It was a rebuke to those who left the NHS unprepared for the pandemic and failed to respond quickly enough after it was detected.

Marathon run

Two decades ago the first parkrun took place in Bushy Park, south west London. There are now more than 2,000 parkruns in 23 countries. The popular event’s founders deserve a lap of honour.