The Christmas period capped a miserable year for Britain’s high street stores.

Not even last-minute discounts and the Boxing Day bonanza were able to reverse the decline in sales.

A slump in consumer confidence, stagnant wages and the Brexit uncertainty have not helped.

But the principal reason why stores are struggling is the competition from online retailers.

Our High Street Fight Back campaign led to ministers launching a £675million fund to help town centres.

While welcome, this falls far short of what is necessary to revive the retail sector and stop the loss of even more jobs. We are still waiting for a promised digital sales tax.

Action could be taken now on parking charges, business rates and planning laws.

Above all, we need to stop online giants using complex accounting practices to avoid paying their fair share in tax.

This could not be more urgent. Hundreds of stores closed last year, with tens of thousands of job losses. If we want to see our shopping streets prosper in 2019, we need more than a few piecemeal policies from ministers.

Royally smart

Having Prince Harry take part in the military exercise in Norway will be a morale booster for the armed forces.

He was, by all accounts, popular with his colleagues when he served in Afghanistan.

Some may say this deployment is a gimmick, but the operation could not be more serious.

It sends a message to an increasingly aggressive Kremlin, which has tested the resolve of NATO members recently, including making frequent incursions into British airspace.

Harry and the British forces are showing solidarity with the Baltic and Scandinavian states on Russia’s Northern Flank.

A Lotto mates

Generous jackpot winners Frances and Patrick Connolly have vowed to share their prize with friends and relatives.

We’re sure they’ll suddenly find that they have a lot of mates, and a very large family.

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