The Standard

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s first Budget - how will it impact you? Analysis with Evening Standard deputy political editor David Bond and Antonia Jennings of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies. In this episode: How the Budget affects the pound in your pocket Hunt’s post-Covid “back-to-work” plan Chancellor promises to “halve inflation” Energy cap latest Pension allowances shake-up Council servic...

The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s been teasing controversial plans to get more people on benefits, and also early retirees, back into the workplace. What else do we know about Jeremy Hunt’s first Budget? The Leader podcast’s joined by Dr James Meadway, a council member at the Progressive Economy Forum and former Labour economic policy advisor. In this episode, we also discuss: What a higher tax-fr...

HSBC has snapped up the British arm of Silicon Valley Bank for just £1 in a government and Bank of England-brokered private sale. Deal marks the most significant such bailout since the 2008 financial crisis and follows late-night talks over the weekend after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank’s US parent company, amid concerns about liquidity. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt insisted all...

We all know who Deborah Meaden is - entrepreneur, investor, long-serving Dragon in the den… and environmental campaigner. Deborah’s involvement with climate causes go back to her college days, and now it’s an increasingly important part of her business. In this episode we talk about:  The urgency of the environment crisis and how business needs to react  Why she would never work in the o...

Lesley Paterson, the Scottish producer and screenwriter of Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front shares the story of how after 16 long years, the film finally came to fruition.  Lesley discusses how her career as a professional triathlete helped fund the project, her childhood love of the original novel and how she approached screenwriting for a German film - without actually knowing the l...

The Police Federation of England and Wales is demanding a minimum 17% pay increase for officers - and suggest their salaries are negatively affected by restrictions on their right to strike. Police officers have been prohibited from striking by law for over a century, with the most recent legislation being the Police Act 1996.  Steve Hartshorn, National Chair of the PFEW, discusses the diffic...

To mark International Women’s Day, we’re going behind London’s Women of the World festival.  Run by the WOW foundation, it all started off at London’s Southbank Centre back in 2010 and has since grown exponentially. It’s now held in 30 locations across six continents. The event celebrates the achievements of women and girls but also confronts global gender injustices.  Jude Kelly, founde...

Government accused of breaking international law as full details of its immigration bill are revealed – with UK likened to Russia and Belarus over small boat crossings plan. The Evening Standard’s Political Editor, Nicholas Cecil, breaks down the controversial bill and looks at the potential political ramifications. In part two, Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, explains why t...

Social housing tenants are being urged to complain about shoddy and dangerous housing in a major new Government advertising campaign. Housing Secretary Michael Gove hopes it will encourage tenants to voice complaints first to landlords and then to the Housing Ombudsman if necessary, in an attempt to “shine a light” on rogue landlords. Suzanne Muna, secretary of SHAC - Social Housing Action Campaig...

Arne Schepker has been CEO of the language learning business Babbel since 2015. This is a bonus episode taken from our business podcast, How to be a CEO . To listen to the full episode click here. In this episode: What is it about Babbel that keeps him from leaving the job? How Babbel deals with competition from other language-learning apps This is how Babbel deals with hybrid working, and how the...

There’s always a new fad diet, fitness trend or alleged ‘quick fix’ and the latest one is called semaglutide - also known by brand names Ozempic and Wegovy. It’s an injection originally intended to be used to treat Type 2 diabetes, but influencers and celebrities are now taking it to achieve their ideal bodies… even billionaire Elon Musk has admitted to being a fan. But, as with all these so-calle...

Today Just for Laughs London, the capital’s newest annual comedy festival, starts its takeover of the O2 arena for four days.  It’s the latest spin-off of the huge international event which was first founded 40 years ago in Canada and helped established comedy superstars such as Amy Schumer and Kevin Hart.  But now it’s London’s turn, with Ryan Reynolds, Graham Norton and Katherine Ryan...

Around 200,000 teachers set to strike this week. Could teachers earn more working at a petrol station? Education Secretary Gillian Keegan calls strikes ‘unforgivable’. Do parents support the action? Our Education Editor Anna Davis explains the context behind the latest industrial action, and Headteacher Dave McPartlin discusses why the strikes are about more than just pay. In this episode: Context...

What is different about this latest Northern Ireland Brexit deal ? The ‘green’ and ‘red’ lanes for trade with Great Britain. Could this latest Brexit deal boost relations with the USA? The Evening Standard’s Political Editor Nicholas Cecil explains what the ‘Windsor Framework’ is, and what it means for the UK. In this episode: What is the background to this latest deal? The three key benefits of t...

Supermarket bosses meet with ministers for ‘emergency meeting’ . Lidl becomes the latest store to ration vegetables . Salad crisis ‘not a one off event’. Professor Christopher Elliot from Queen’s University Belfast explains how the salad crisis might be fixed. Plus we speak with the Evening Standard's Business Editor Jonathan Prynn about the upcoming rise in energy bills , and whether gas costs wi...

Nearly twenty years ago, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones ploughed money from a successful career in marketing into a food business. From day one he took risks, choosing to call his brand ‘The Black Farmer,’ despite research telling him to avoid the “edgy name”. In this episode we talk about:  How he built The Black Farmer brand  His belief that good people will find you “if you put it out there”&...

In this special episode of The Leader on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we’re finding out how vital school supplies are giving Ukrainian children ‘the routine of a regular, normal day’. In the year since the war began, millions have been displaced from their homes and schools. As of January 2023, 3,025 kindergartens, schools and colleges have been attacked and more than 400 destr...

Could Londoners in the near future glide around the capital on Tube trains powered by the sun and wind? The Leader podcast looks at a project that’s already harnessing solar power to help electrify a commuter line into the capital. Meanwhile, TfL is also researching viability of using more renewable energy - could it help cut ticket prices? We’re joined by Leo Murray, co-founder of train-tech star...

As more supermarkets enforce vegetables, salad and fruit rationing, what’s causing the shortages and bare shelves? Plus, hacking the system by shopping locally and guerrilla gardening allotments for more sustainable, cheaper fresh greens. Analysis with Lucy Antal, lead for food justice at Feedback Global and Evening Standard business reporter Simon Hunt. Discover more about how to enter the Evenin...

“Permacrisis” was recently crowned word of the year and now a study suggests the stress fallout from this armageddon-inspired portmanteau is seeping into our workplaces - with young Gen Z staff members worst impacted. Could a four-day week help balance things out? The Leader podcast is joined by Heidi Chow, executive director of Debt Justice, a Bethnal Green-based charity, who reveals the results...

After the tragic and very public Nicola Bulley case, the Leader podcast examines the race against time to trace at-risk children who go missing in London. We’re joined by Paul Joseph, head of helplines and reconnections at London charity Missing People. We also discuss why social media speculation about missing people is so unhelpful and what the public can do to really help when someone disappear...

Harriet Hastings is the co-founder and MD of Biscuiteers, the London-based food gifting company. This is a bonus episode taken from our business podcast, How to be a CEO. To listen to the full episode click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of our ‘Plug It In’ initiative, we’ve launched a major report setting out the road to an electric vehicle future in London. The aim is to help clean up the capital’s air by getting more drivers to embrace zero emission cars. We’ve enlisted experts and representatives on infrastructure as well as the motor industry to help set out a realistic plan everyone can work towards.  The Evenin...

We all know that finding a home in the capital is difficult. The average first home in London cost £518,900 in 2022 - a price more than 12 times the average salary.  Data shows that now, over one million households are privately rented here, a rise of 25 per cent in the last decade. A huge demand which means that the competition to secure a flat you want is often fierce.    Thi...

The number of drivers caught speeding in London has increased by 64 percent - after police introduced new high-tech enforcement cameras. But, are more Londoners actually speeding or are they just now getting caught? The Evening Standard’s City Hall Editor & Transport Editor, Ross Lydall, shares his insight and explains how ‘LaserCams’ might have impacted the figures.  In part two, Jeremy...