The papers: Vaccines at work and online giants ‘face tax raid’

image captionNearly 30 million people under 50 years old will be vaccinated at work from the spring under proposals being considered by ministers, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Under the plan, front-line emergency services, teachers, delivery drivers and supermarket workers would be among those at the front of the vaccines queue after all those who are older or vulnerable have been offered a jab, the paper reports.

image captionThe Sunday Times reports that online retailers like Amazon which have done well during the pandemic are facing a double tax raid under plans being drawn up by the government. Leaked emails seen by the paper reveal that Treasury officials have summoned tech firms and retailers for a meeting this month, ahead of the Budget, to discuss how an online sales tax would work. Ministers hope the tax would help plug the black hole in the country’s finances while also stemming the collapse of the high street, the paper says.

image captionThe Mail on Sunday says Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is facing a “backlash” after one of his senior frontbenchers described the pandemic as a “gift that keeps on giving” for lawyers. Shadow attorney general Lord Falconer used the phrase during a briefing for a top City firm, according to the paper. The peer insists he was referring to the changes in the law triggered by the coronavirus crisis but a source close to Lord Falconer told the paper he regretted his choice of words.

image captionThe Sunday People leads with calls for the prime minister to put children “at the heart” of the pandemic recovery. The paper says around 74,000 young people have suffered from long Covid after catching the virus, while some face not getting exam grades this year.

image captionMeanwhile, Boris Johnson has told the Sunday Express there are “no limits” to what the country’s young people can achieve, as he vowed not to let the pandemic damage their prospects. The prime minister acknowledged the “immense sacrifice” made by younger generations, who he said “deserve the thanks of the nation”.

image captionThe Observer leads with figures showing the volume of exports going through British ports to the EU fell by 68% last month compared with January last year – a drop the paper says was mostly a result of problems caused by Brexit. The data, based on a survey of Road Haulage Association (RHA) members, was detailed in a letter from the group’s chief executive to Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove. In the letter, Richard Burnett said the RHA had repeatedly warned of the problems ahead but felt it had largely been ignored, the paper reports.

image captionThe Sunday Mirror reports that 750,000 over-75s have “rebelled” by refusing to pay their TV licence fee. The broadcaster withdrew free licenses for most of the age group last August – but Dennis Reed of the pensioners campaign group Silver Voices said “a hard core are resisting”.

image captionFinally, the Daily Star reveals that Laila Morse, who has played the character of Big Mo in EastEnders for more than 20 years, is leaving the soap. A source tells the paper it hasn’t yet been decided how she will leave Albert Square late in the spring, but insisted “she definitely won’t die”.