The Standard

Boris Johnson has just faced his biggest Tory rebellion since becoming Prime Minister. A total of 99 Conservative MPs opposed Johnson’s plan to introduce Covid passes but the move passed due to support from the Labour Party. Tory rebels spoke publicly today saying Johnson needs ‘to change’ but how much will this have shaken the PM? The Evening Standard’s Deputy Political Editor, David Bond, e...

As the race to get a Covid-19 booster jab continues and long queues form outside vaccination centres, how realistic is the government’s target to get everyone triple vaccinated by the end of the year? In London, already more than half of all coronavirus cases are of the Omicron variant, and the number of coronavirus patients in the capital’s hospitals is at its highest level since March. And in Sc...

The UK Government says it’s ‘throwing everything’ at beating Omicron as it brings forward the target date for all adult booster jabs to be delivered by the end of December. It comes as the first UK death has been recorded with the variant.  But with huge queues outside vaccination centres and many reporting issues with the online booking system, will the new target be achievable? Nicholas Cec...

What is the key to Succession’s success?   The hit US TV comedy-drama - with a heavy British influence - follows the incredibly powerful Roy family and the inner workings of their company Waystar RoyCo. The family fight amongst themselves over who will take over the global media and entertainment conglomerate after their father, Logan Roy.  It’s won countless awards and an adoring g...

As the drama continues around alleged Christmas parties at Downing Street last year, an NHS doctor is warning public trust in the government is waning. The Conservative Party has now admitted an event took place in the party’s Westminster headquarters on December 14th last year. An investigation continues into allegations that the party held more events last year, when covid rules at the time stat...

It’s been a tough day at the office for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as he faced a fiery PMQs largely focused on claims of a Christmas Party at Number 10 last year, when such gatherings had been banned under pandemic restrictions. One of Boris Johnson’s advisors at the heart of the scandal, Allegra Stratton has resigned and offered her “profound apologies”, after footage emerged of her joking abo...

As coronavirus cases are on the rise again and the Omicron variant becomes more prevalent, some of the measures designed to slow the spread of the virus have been reintroduced. Wearing facemasks is mandatory again in shops and on public transport, and extra testing is required for those travelling to the UK from abroad. But, so far no major changes have been made in schools across England. The Eve...

London’s youth unemployment has soared by 55 per cent since the start of the pandemic, with 21 per cent of young people seeking work jobless. The Office for National Statistics says the figure is five times the national jobless rate of 4.3 per cent for all ages. In response, the Evening Standard, The Independent, and London Live have launched their Skill Up Step Up Campaign, to help young people i...

We get the scoop on Intellipedia, the internal Wiki developed at Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley. The Leader was granted the first British broadcast interview with one of the digital specialists instrumental in its creation. Carmen Medina rose from analyst to Deputy Director of Intelligence, working under six presidents from Carter to Obama during her 32-year tenure. Now retire...

The Duchess of Sussex has emerged victorious from her privacy battle with the Mail on Sunday despite last-minute bombshells from a former key aide. Meghan sued the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline over articles featuring extracts of the handwritten five-page note she sent to her father, Thomas Markle, in August 2018. The Standard’s Courts Correspondent Tristan Kirk analyses today’s r...

It was meant to be a sunshine break and catch-up with family and friends in South Africa before welcoming their first child for 32 weeks pregnant Evening Standard Celebrity Correspondent Lizzie Edmonds and her husband Steven Meek. Then despite meticulous scheduling, the couple were caught up in a Covid travel nightmare as the UK government banned flights after Omicron’s emergence in the south of t...

Mouth-and-nose coverings are back on London’s tube and rail network, and in shops, with the threat of £200 fines for breaking the rules. Amid concerns about vaccine efficacy against Omicron, we get the latest from Evening Standard Health Editor Ross Lydall on masks, hospitalisations, and how Transport for London's finances are suffering. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our investigations editor, David Cohen, joins the podcast following his front-page probe into London’s astonishing youth unemployment problem. In a joint investigation with our sister site the Independent, he’s revealed the capital’s youth unemployment has soared by 55 per cent to 105,000 since the start of the pandemic. It’s the worst rate in the UK, and comes despite the government’s £2bn Kickst...

A 24-hour strike has caused travel chaos for London commuters wanting to travel on the Victoria, Central, Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly tube lines. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union have walked out in a dispute over new shift patterns and the disruption looks set to continue each weekend in the run-up to Christmas. It comes as Transport for London faces an ongoing financial...

Twenty-seven people heading for England have drowned near Calais after their boat sank. Three children and a pregnant woman are reported to be among those killed. It's the worst disaster on record involving migrants in the Channel. Now the political blame game is intensifying between France and the UK. Both have agreed to “do everything possible to stop the gangs responsible” but is this enou...

New analysis from the Evening Standard can reveal the London hotspots for unvaccinated adults - as well as the groups who are believed to be spreading the virus between generations. The fight against anti-vaxxers and vaccine hesitancy rolls on, amid growing concern that the vast majority of covid patients in intensive care haven’t been jabbed. It’s thought that up to 2.7 million Londoners - w...

Sorting through papers, losing his place and a random plug for Peppa Pig World - Boris’s keynote speech didn’t exactly go to plan at the CBI conference. Where did it all go wrong? How does Boris Johnson measure up to other world leaders when it comes to public speaking? And why are speeches so important?  We speak to Simon Lancaster from Bespoke. He’s an expert in speeches and has worked with...

One of the UK’s top medics has told the Evening Standard that the vaccine rate must be “supercharged”. Over the weekend, more than 50,000 covid jabs were administered in London - but 42,000 of those were boosters. It’s thought that up to 2.7 million people in the city are unvaccinated. The Evening Standard’s Political Editor, Nicholas Cecil, explains what this all means, if Plan A is sti...

As the world of cricket remains in shock from the racism allegations made by former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq this week, there are signs that action is being taken. A game-wide meeting was held on Friday to discuss how to stamp out racism in the sport. Azeem’s emotional speech to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee   about the racism he allegedly experienced at Yorksh...

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has revealed London is facing a travel crisis. A £1.3 billion funding gap means bus services could be reduced by a fifth and tube services by almost 10% unless the Government steps in with an injection of funds. A report has detailed worse-than-expected impacts on the transport network from the pandemic, as Transport for London’s emergency funding deal ends next month. Ross...

Families across the UK are bracing for a tough winter ahead, as inflation has risen to 4.2%. Experts say it’s down to a series of price rises, including soaring energy bills, a price hike in petrol and an increase in the cost of eating out. Jack Leslie from the Resolution Foundation said the impact of the inflation rise will be 'painful' for families. On top of that, a rise in interest rates is ex...

For the next two weeks an unmarked HGV will travel around the M25 looking for distracted drivers.‘Operation Orbital’ is being run by Highways England and the police, to spot people using their phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt, or being otherwise distracted while on the country’s busiest motorway. Police officers will film evidence of unsafe driving, by pulling up alongside vehicles, bef...

As unvaccinated residents in Austria are plunged into lockdown this week, we speak with two people living in the country about the new measures. The lockdown has been brought in as around 65% of the population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, one of the lowest rates in western Europe. The new rules mean anyone without a vaccine will have to stay indoors, except for work, school, exercise...

This Remembrance Sunday, the Queen is due to attend London’s Cenotaph to honour our service personal who have made the ultimate sacrifice. In 2021, it’s a century since the founding of the Royal British Legion and the first Poppy Appeal to help soldiers suffering life-changing injuries and PTSD from trench warfare. We meet Mike Kiff, a young veteran of modern combat and signals expert, who tells a...

The Leader’s joined by Colm Porter, Unison national officer representing 20,000 paramedics, ambulance technicians and emergency care assistants. He is urging government action to help free up ambulance crews battling Covid-fuelled backlogs and rocketing stress levels as casualty departments fill up. Now it’s being revealed some ambulance crews can spend their working day ‘stacked’ outside hospital...