The Standard

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, says the next national election will be a de facto vote on Scottish independence after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on indyref2.  The UK’s highest court concluded that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to hold a second independence referendum. It’s a defining moment for the union, establishing a constitutional precedent with r...

For those on the breadline - this Christmas will be a harrowing time of rising food prices, escalating fuel costs and little thought about what’s under the tree. The Evening Standard and our sister paper the Independent, are joining forces with Comic Relief, to raise as much as we can to help those struggling in this cost of living crisis.  David Cohen, the Evening Standard’s Campaigns Editor...

A 6-2 win for England , a last minute armband u-turn , and continued controversy over human rights . As the World Cup in Qatar is underway, our Senior News Correspondent Anthony France describes the atmosphere at the tournament, and explains how fans have responded to the controversies around it. Plus Robbie de Santos from Stonewall discusses the concerns for the LGBTQ+ community at home and at th...

The world’s longest-running show, The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie, celebrates 70 years, and the “untraditional” new musical 'From Here to Eternity' – with music that could leave you “tapping your feet”. This week, chief theatre critic Nick Curtis is joined by Nick Clark, deputy culture editor, to unpick two more shows from London. Part 1: From Here to Eternity, the musical by Tim Rice and Stuart...

Sir John Hegarty is an iconic figure in advertising. His career goes back to the 'Mad Men' era of the 1960s and triumphs include his creation of the "Vorsprung Durch Technik" line for Audi. He's also the co-founder of The Garage Soho, an early stage investor and brand builder. This is taken from our How to be a CEO podcast. To hear the full episode listen here. This episode contains strong languag...

In the second episode of the Evening Standard’s year-long series of specials called ‘Let Girls Learn’, we’re going to Morocco.  Education for All is a project which builds and runs girls’ boarding houses near secondary schools, so girls from rural families can complete their education. The Evening Standard’s Alex Goldsmith finds out how EFA is helping girls from remote areas, giving them oppo...

Energy price cap extended beyond April, windfall tax hiked to 35%, more money for schools and the NHS. Following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement , our Deputy Political Editor David Bond deconstructs today’s medium-term budget announcement. Plus economist Fran Boait from Positive Money gives her reaction to the fiscal plans. In this episode: Jeremy Hunt’s tax rises explained How will the public r...

Classrooms of 60 pupils, teachers not being replaced, and no more school trips. Headteachers are preparing to vote for strike action, warning that underfunding schools risks some being forced to close . Our Commissioning Editor and Feature Writer Katie Strick explains why schools are struggling so much, as Richard Slade, headteacher of Plumcroft primary school in Greenwich explains the issues he’s...

How will the Chancellor fill the £55billion black hole? Concern as the energy price cap ends in April. Could changes be made to VAT? Our Deputy Political Editor David Bond discusses the potential moves Jeremy Hunt could make. Plus Tina McKenzie from the Federation of Small Businesses discusses why many firms in the UK face closure if things get worse. In this episode: Which taxes could the Chancel...

Why the UK-France Immigration deal is ‘an incremental improvement’. Will drones and night-vision cameras make a difference? Could smugglers move operations into Belgium? Our Home Affairs Editor Martin Bentham discusses the details of the new deal, and how significant the new measures are. Plus, former Head of UK Border Force Tony Smith explains why he's hopeful the deal will deliver results. In th...

David Tennant in ‘Good’ at the Harold Pinter Theatre and why it’s an important watch. Plus, does ‘Mary’ at Hampstead Theatre need a trigger warning? This week the Evening Standard's chief theatre critic Nick Curtis is joined by Nancy Durrant, our culture editor, as they unpick two more interesting shows from London’s stages. In this episode: Part 1: ‘Good’ at the Harold Pinter Theatre The very ‘go...

Sarah Willingham is the founder and CEO of Nightcap, a company with the aim "to build Britain's biggest bar group". The former Dragon's Den star set it up in 2020, when the country was in lockdown, and describes how her broker asked if she'd "gone mad".  This is is taken from our How to be a CEO podcast. To hear the full episode click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

Britain’s shaky economy is on the brink of recession as Office for National Statistics data reveals a fall in GDP. It comes as former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng popped up in his first interview since being sacked, and criticised his former boss and political soulmate, ex-PM Liz Truss. He says they are still “friends” but has not returned her missed call from several days ago. It comes as Office for...

London endures another 24 hours of Underground closures in RMT strikes over pensions and station job cuts. Transport for London says passenger numbers were only at 10 per cent of normal demand on Thursday. Meanwhile, nurses vote to walkout in a pay and working conditions dispute amid record NHS waiting lists. So what does winter hold in store? Analysis with Evening Standard transport editor Ross L...

Nurses forced to look after up to 18 patients at a time, skipping meals during shifts, nurses leaving the profession, how daily struggles are compromising patient care. The Royal College of Nursing announces the first ever nurses strike over pay . A&E nurse Lucy Shapcott explains why NHS staff have voted to strike. Plus, in Part Two - politics! Our Deputy Political Editor David Bond discusses...

France and the UK ‘close’ to agreeing an immigration deal. Rishi Sunak and Emmanuel Macron’s ‘bromance’. How will it impact the Rwanda asylum plans? Our Deputy Political Editor David Bond discusses what the immigration deal could involve, and how it could be a big win for Rishi Sunak. In this episode: What do we know about the deal so far? What could the deal include? How might this deal impact th...

Why the mood at COP27 is ‘sombre and difficult’. Rishi Sunak calls on world leaders to protect the planet ‘for our children and grandchildren’ . How police are dealing with Just Stop Oil protests on the M25 . Our Home Affairs Editor Martin Bentham explains the difficulties with policing dangerous protest action. Plus Climate Scientist Professor Simon Lewis describes the action governments need to...

Coming to you from the stage of the Shaftesbury Theatre, currently home to musical & Juliet, we kick off our brand-new theatre show. Every Sunday we review two of the most interesting shows onstage in London. This week, Nick Curtis, the Evening Standard’s Chief Theatre Critic, and Nancy Durrant, Culture Editor, review Tammy Faye , the Almeida Theatre's new musical, and Marvellous at @SohoPlace...

Taken from our How to be a CEO podcast. Lily’s Kitchen went from a small operation to feed just one dog, to a hugely successful enterprise, so popular it was bought by Nestle Purina. The company is run by CEO Nick Magalini who has over twenty years in the pet food industry. Nick tells us about how they maintain a 'cooked in the kitchen' small business culture, while growing into an inter...

As the heavens opened over London, there’s a financial storm brewing. The Bank of England has decreed the steepest interest rate hike since 1989, with a jump of 0.75 percentage points to three per cent, as it steps up the fight against soaring inflation.  But what’s the impact going to be on London’s property market, for homeowners with mortgages and renters? It comes as estate agents Savills...

It’s only Rishi Sunak’s second week as Prime Minister and he’s not had the simplest of starts.  He’s made a big U-turn and will now attend COP 27 in Egypt on Sunday, the migrant crisis and Suella Braverman continue to make headlines and a certain former Health Secretary is heading into the jungle.  The Evening Standard’s Political Editor, Nicholas Cecil, explains about all of the latest...

As we brace ourselves for the possibility of blackouts this winter, another energy company is making huge profits. This comes in the midst of the cost-of-living crisis and as we all await the ‘tough decisions’ the Prime Minister told us to prepare for ahead of the autumn statement.  The Evening Standard’s Deputy Political Editor, David Bond, walks us through the big energy companies profiting...

A week after being re-appointed to the job she was forced to resign from less than a month ago, Suella Braverman is facing calls for her to quit all over again. There are still security concerns hanging over the Home Secretary, she’s also taking heat over the worsening of the migrant crisis… with opponents blaming her and questioning the handling of incidents under her remit. The Evening Standard’...

This is a bonus episode taken from our How to be a CEO podcast. Sam White is the founder and chair of Freedom Services Group, an insurance firm aiming to 'fundamentally change' the industry for the better. She's dealt with sexism and criticism on top of competition while navigating a hugely male-dominated industry. To listen to the full episode click here. In this episode: How Sam got started in b...

Elon Musk announces ‘the bird is freed’ as he takes over Twitter . Three top execs reportedly fired. Could we see Twitter become the ‘X’ everything app? The Evening Standard’s Tech Reporter Simon Hunt discusses what Elon might do next with the app, and what he wants to see. Plus AI expert Dr Robert Elliot Smith explains why Elon has a big job on his hands to improve Twitter’s algorithm, make it mo...