The Standard

House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle faced a no confidence motion signed by some 59 MPs in a neutrality row over a Gaza ceasefire vote. He was under pressure over his handling of a tinderbox debate on an SNP motion that resulted in the passing of a Labour amendment - potentially helping Sir Keir Starmer head-off a rebellion among his own MPs. Chaos descended on the chamber as the motion was...

Popping up 600ft above London’s skyline, the BT Tower has been a West End landmark since the 1960s. Now, the once high-tech monolith that began its life as the Post Office Tower is being transformed into a hotel in a £275 million sale. BT has agreed to sell the nearly 60-year-old, Grade-II listed tower to American chain MCR Hotels, offering future punters the chance to sleep in the clouds. To find...

A headteacher warns school closures are creating “ghost areas” across London and destroying communities as so many families leave the capital. The Evening Standard’s education editor Anna Davis joins us in the studio after interviewing Helen Connor, executive head of Rhyl Community Primary in Camden, who says London risks “dying from its roots” as growing numbers of families cannot afford to stay...

It’s one of the glitziest weeks in London’s style and entertainment calendar - as this year’s Bafta awards ceremony dovetails with the 40th anniversary of London Fashion Week. On Sunday night, celebrities headed to the annual gala at the Southbank’s Royal Festival Hall. But who were the sharpest dressed stars on the red carpet - and what are the trends to look out for later this year? Plus, as the...

This special cut is taken from The Standard Theatre Podcast , our chief theatre critic Nick Curtis meets former Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman to discuss her role in Hir at the Park Theatre. To hear the full episode click this link, or search for The Standard Theatre Podcast. For all the latest news head to standard.co.uk , or pick up a paper! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

It was a double by-election bloodbath for the Conservatives as the party suffered defeats at the ballot box just months before Britain goes to the polls. Rishi Sunak lost both the Kingswood and Wellingborough constituencies in a humiliating night for the Conservatives - with celebrations for Labour as Sir Keir Starmer’s party scooped both seats. To analyse what this means for the parties’ general...

Could psychedelics be used to help tackle mental health issues like depression and addiction? In this preview episode of Brave New World, Evgeny Lebedev speaks to Professor David Nutt, one the leading researchers in this controversial field. He also speaks to Buzzfeed journalist Lara Parker who used ketamine assisted therapy to treat clinical depression. To hear the whole interview, including addi...

A special Valentine’s Day cutdown episode from our sister podcast, London Love Stories with Katie Strick . Featuring an exclusive interview with none other than the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.  Listen to the full episode here: https://pod.fo/e/21d28e   Find more episodes of London Love Stories with Katie Strick here: https://podfollow.com/london-love-stories-with-katie-strick Hosted on...

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s judgement has come under fire over a delay in withdrawing his party’s support for its Rochdale by-election candidate, Azhar Ali, over remarks he made about Israel. It comes as The Standard reveals Labour faces a “brutal” battle in the party’s new London heartlands amid growing “movement” of local independent candidates enraged at the response to Gaza - with shadow...

Pressure is mounting on the Government to investigate the controversial single justice procedure, as The Standard uncovers more criminal cases brought against sick and vulnerable people. Our courts correspondent, Tristan Kirk, discusses our long-running investigation into this ‘behind closed doors justice’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Check out The Standard Theatre Podcast's review of Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre . Starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, it's the show we've all been waiting for... Click here to find the full episode which includes their interview with Ola Ince for Othello at The Globe and a review of Till the Stars Come Down at The National Theatre. For all the latest news head to standard.co.u...

Tube staff report more than 756,000 fare dodger cases in 2023. TfL reveals 56% rise in fare dodger prosecutions compared with 2022…but 10,000 fewer are prosecuted each year than at pre-pandemic levels . Fare evasions cost TfL £130m a year in lost income. Our Transport Editor Ross Lydall discusses the TfL figures, and explains why fare dodging is still a big problem. Plus Ross reveals the tube line...

Labour under fire after cutting the budget for UK clean energy plans. Critics call the decision ‘economically illiterate’. Scale back reportedly due to 'tougher economic circumstances'. Our Deputy Political Editor Jitendra Joshi examines why Labour has cut funding to its green energy plans, and sustainability expert Juliet Kinsman explains why it's bad timing, as global temperatures exceed the agr...

Data shows 24% of Londoners hate their commute . Average London commute takes 38 minutes. Central Line commuters affected by disruption ‘virtually every day’ since December. Our Arts Correspondent Robert Dex dissects the survey into commuters' woes, and our Transport Editor Ross Lydall reveals the latest from TfL on the Central Line chaos. In this episode: Strikes, train shortages and delays hit L...

PM Rishi Sunak reveals cancer was 'caught early' . Buckingham Palace keeps cancer type private. President Joe Biden sends his well wishes. Our Royal Editor Robert Jobson discusses the King’s diagnosis, Prince William stepping in to cover public duties , and whether Prince Harry’s UK visit could prompt a family reconciliation. In this episode: How work-a-holic Charles will cope with being off-duty...

Anti-FGM campaigner Nimco Ali sits down with the Evening Standard's Alexandra Jones to talk about her eleven year battle to end the practice worldwide. To mark the UN International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, they talk about: Why ending FGM by 2030 is a ‘tangible reality’ How 70 million girls born between now and 2030 are at risk of the practice How her family reacted when...

Taylor teases new 2024 album in Grammy acceptance speech . Jay-Z calls out the Grammys over Beyoncé album award snub. Why this year’s female-dominated ceremony is a positive sign. Our Celebrities Correspondent Lizzie Edmonds gives us the lowdown on the drama at this year's ceremony, and reveals whether she thinks Taylor Swift is unstoppable. Also in this episode: Could Taylor Swift secure a fifth...

This is a special cut taken from our theatre podcast : Packed with Nineties hit music, we review the musical take on Cruel Intentions at The Other Palace , which is based on the 1999 blockbuster movie that starred Reece Witherspoon and Buffy actress Sarah Michelle Gellar. Plus, we revisit Six the musical as the show celebrates its sixth year on stage, and is now on at the Vaudeville theatre. Click...

The 66th Grammys are coming to Los Angeles on Sunday night - and we’ve got a round-up of the main contenders. Female musicians are set to win big at the celebrated night for musicians, songwriters, composers and producers Women leading the Recording Academy’s 2024 nominations include SZA, Dua Lipa, Lana Del Ray and Miley Cyrus. Taylor Swift is hoping to scoop a 13th Grammy and take home the hotly-...

Is it possible to live forever – and would you even want to? Evgeny Lebedev is joined by David Walliams to explore the science and ethics of age reversal. He also meets longevity pioneer Dr David Sinclair, who gives advice on how to extend lifespans - and tells David Walliams how to reverse his biological clock. This is a preview of our Brave New World series. To hear the whole episode search 'Bra...

The people of Britain have delivered a damning verdict on Brexit four years on from leaving the European Union. An exclusive Ipsos poll for the Evening Standard found 57 per cent of British adults believe Brexit has been more of a failure, with just 13 per cent saying more of a success. There are also warnings new red tape impacting fresh produce entering Britain from the eurozone will add £330 mi...

Thousands of commuters defied union attempts to shut down key routes into London - but there was little sign of an end to the rail strikes. Train drivers in the Aslef union walked out at South Western Railway, Southern and Thameslink in the ongoing 20-month pay rise saga. We’ve got the latest with Evening Standard transport editor Ross Lydall, who’s been reporting from Waterloo station. Then, in p...

The parent body for London’s local authorities reveals an exodus of families from the capital is driving increasing numbers of schools to close.  A London Councils report says 8,000 fewer youngsters will need classroom places over the next four years due to a falling birth rate, families leaving the capital due to Brexit, the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. It means some schools, which ar...

Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey) chats to our theatre podcast about her role as Elizabeth Taylor in The Motive and the Cue, directed by Oscar-winner Sam Mendes. Middleton, who stars opposite Johnny Flynn and Mark Gatiss, tells us about being in a play about putting on a play (Hamlet on Broadway in the Sixties), her experiences with obsessive compulsive disorder, and her new memoir. This is a cut...

There are growing calls for urgent action to tackle the capital’s issue with knife crime. Figures recently released from the Office for National Statistics, show a 22 per cent rise in knife crime in the capital in the 12 months to the end of September last year.  It comes after the body of a teenager, 19-year-old Tyler Donnelly, was discovered by joggers in a park in Feltham on Thursday, he h...