MCDONALD’S has been accused of dodging the payment of £295 million in taxes through byzantine accounting practices while picking up £872m in Covid-19 support, according to a damning new report.

Campaign group War On Want said the multinational fast-food giant initially received the massive subsidy package in 2020 —while enriching shareholders that same year by a record £2.9 billion.

This included £297m in furlough cash, £143m from the “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme, £60m from business rates relief and £372m from a temporarily reduced VAT rate for hospitality businesses.