The Standard

It’s what everyone in the UK wants to know, what is going to be in the Budget?  Rumours have been swirling around what Chancellor Rachel Reeves has in store with potential tax rises, including inheritance tax, and National Insurance for employers.  The jobs minister, Alison McGovern, has said publicly that benefits are set to be cut. With the welfare bill in Britain set to spiral in comi...

On this preview of Brave New World, host Evgeny Lebedev is joined by Jim Poole, chairman, president and chief executive of Solace Life Sciences. The neuroscience company owns NuCalm, a technology designed to reduce stress and improve sleep without recourse to drugs. You may have even spotted the Duchess of Sussex wearing one of their stress relief patches. In this episode, Evgeny and Jim explore t...

It’s official, England’s new manager is Thomas Tuchel. The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss reportedly signed a contract with the FA last week which will see him receive a salary worth around £5 million.  Tuchel, who is German, will be just the third foreign manager to become England coach, after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson of Sweden and the Italian manager Fabio Capello.  The Stan...

On this very special episode, The Standard podcast’s Rachelle Abbott is in conversation with the producer, rapper, singer/songwriter and entrepreneur, will.i.am. Plus, they’re also joined by FYI.AI’s Fyilicia.  To hear the full extended interview search Tech & Science Daily on your podcast provider, or click here. FYI.AI, which stands for ‘Focus Your Ideas', is a messaging and productivit...

The Mayor of London sits down with London Standard Editor, Dylan Jones, to talk about all things politics. Sadiq Khan discusses the exodus of the capital’s rich, his goals for his unprecedented third term as mayor, the plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street, as well as issues surrounding housing and traffic. In part two, the Gaza marches, his message to London’s Jewish community, and who he would ch...

Incredible natural environments, cycling through the trees and living among the clouds. Sustainable travel expert Juliet Kinsman and journalist Jon Weeks discuss the beauty of Ecuador, and how it's a great example of an economy that relies on Tourism. Learn how Ecuador's 'eternal spring' makes the best tasting fruit, and why you should think twice about negative headlines about a destination. Roqu...

Britain’s economy made a welcome return to growth in August after a pick up on the high street and in factories helped drive overall GDP. The London Standard’s business editor Jonathan Prynn reports that output was up by 0.2 per cent in the month following two months of flatlining in June and July, that’s according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. It comes a fortnight bef...

The Conservative leadership race has been narrowed to Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick, after once-favourite James Cleverly was squeezed out of the contest - to considerable surprise. Badenoch won 42 votes, Jenrick secured 41, but Cleverly took just 37, with 120 Tory MPs having taken part. So, what’s next, who is best to hold Sir Keir Starmer to account at the dispatch box - and how did James Clev...

Flights from Britain to Florida have been cancelled as the US state braces for what President Joe Biden warned could be the worst storm in a century. Approaching Category Five Hurricane Milton - just a fortnight after Category Four Hurricane Helene - has brought widespread disruption to the Sunshine State as officials urge residents to follow evacuation orders and airports, including Tampa Interna...

Transport secretary Louise Haigh has signalled the HS2 high-speed line will terminate in central London. She told Times Radio on Tuesday an announcement would be made soon on the controversial under-construction route from Birmingham into the capital - that’s expected at the Budget on October 30. There was uncertainty over HS2’s final stop amid funding worries and whether it would instead be at Ol...

This October 7 marks one year from devastating terror attacks on Israel that set in motion a series of events plunging the Middle East into crisis. Hamas gunmen launched surprise cross-border raids from the Gaza Strip during the Jewish new year holiday of Rosh Hashanah, leaving with more than 1,200 Israelis killed and at least 250 hostages taken. Hostilities mushroomed to claim over 40,000 Palesti...

Why fly when you can take the train? In this episode Sustainable travel expert Juliet Kinsman and journalist Jon Weeks explore the best places to travel to by train and why, including Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden & Scotland. Find out when trains truly are the best option for your trip, and why the pros of travelling along the tracks often outweigh the cons of flying. Tine Murn the form...

Rising tensions in the Middle East are adding new global economic uncertainties.  The pound , while recovering slightly on Friday, remained set for its worst week in more than a year - as oil heads for the biggest weekly price increase since 2023. It came as Israel intensified strikes on Lebanon following Iran’s missile barrage and ongoing Hezbollah rocket attacks.  The Standard podcast...

On this preview of Brave New World….Why AI is the future of medicine. Alternative medicine advocate and best-selling author Deepak Chopra joins host Evgeny Lebedev, to discuss why artificial intelligence is the key to unlocking both personal and spiritual growth, and why humanity is at a crucial crossroads with technology. The health and wellness expert has been at the intersection of science and...

As the world awaits Israel’s response to rocket attacks by Iran , what role did British forces play defending the country? In this episode of The Standard podcast we’ll also look at the UK government’s handling of the crisis, with Britons told to leave Lebanon as Israel continues to pound Tehran-backed Hezbollah and ground operations begin. Around 180 Iranian rockets were fired on Tuesday night as...

It’s the penultimate day of the Conservatives’ conference in Birmingham, where the final four leadership hopefuls are vying for attentions of the party faithful. Yesterday, we looked at the free ‘merch’ being offered on candidates’ stalls - those friendship bracelets and fake tan - but will these multiple charm offensives translate into votes? Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick and Tom...

The Conservative Party conference kicks off in Birmingham - throwing the race to become the next opposition leader wide open.   And as the hopefuls promote themselves to the Tory membership, there’s an unusual array of candidate promotional ‘merch’ being offered. The Standard’s chief political correspondent, Rachael Burford, has the details. But is it actually helping convince members that th...

For your next trip, why not explore closer to home? Sustainable travel expert Juliet Kinsman and journalist Jon Weeks discuss the benefits of visiting nature-positive escapes such as Sussex's Knepp Estate, which was transformed from a working farm into a 3,500 pioneering rewilding project. Isabella Tree, who led the transformation, explains how giving the site back to nature saw it grow into an in...

Sir Keir Starmer has met with the US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for the first time. The meeting has sparked quite a bit of backlash though, considering what prominent Labour front benchers have said about the former president in the past.  Our Deputy Political Editor, Jitendra Joshi, discusses everything we know about the meeting so far, and shares his insight into whether...

The Prime Minister has told the London Standard, he wants to make London the artificial intelligence capital of the world , and the opportunities to create wealth are endless. Our Political Editor, Nicholas Cecil, discusses whether the UK can compete with the US when it comes to leading the way with this rapidly developing technology, and what spurred Sir Keir Starmer on to focus on AI now. In par...

Want something to brighten up the gloomy autumn days? We’ve got the definitive list of all the best entertainment to keep you busy. From exciting films, shows, TV, exhibitions and gigs, there’s so much coming up. We give you a sneak peek at the BFI London film festival, Gladiator II, Wicked, the ITV series Joan, Disney+’s Rivals, Janet Jackson at the O2, Dua Lipa at the Royal Albert Hall, through...

The UK Prime Minister has delivered his first Labour party conference speech since coming to power. Sir Keir Starmer reassured the UK that despite difficult decisions ahead there is light at the end of the tunnel. He went on to promise to “build a new Britain” with a crackdown on benefit fraudsters, a promise to house all veterans, and by reducing the UK’s reliance on foreign workers. The Standard...

The Labour party conference is fully underway and today’s big speech was from the Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The Standard’s Political Editor, Nicholas Cecil, joins us from Liverpool to discuss the key points from the speech, and reveals the findings of our Ipsos poll which indicate the honeymoon might already be over for Sir Keir Starmer after less than three months in power.   ...

Come with us as we travel to Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An and Cat Ba Island. Sustainable travel expert Juliet Kinsman and journalist Jon Weeks explore the best Vietnam has to offer; travelling via overnight train, exploring eco-resorts doing things differently, kayaking among breathtaking scenery, and tasting the best food you’ll ever eat. Find out how trips like this actually benefit the country you're vis...

Fears are growing over the potential of a full-scale war after Israel hit southern Lebanon with its most intense air strikes in nearly a year, raising tensions with Hezbollah. Our Defence Editor, Robert Fox, discusses what the latest developments mean for this conflict, where this leaves the Western allies, and reveals the wider impact of the Middle East crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...