The Standard

An Evening Standard investigation has revealed half a million under-18s who previously showed no signs of mental health issues are now facing problems, due to the lockdowns caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Investigations editor David Cohen joins us to talk about his findings, which also show A&E wards are seeing increasing numbers of adolescents admitted for self-harm and suicidal t...

The Evening Standard's Nicholas Cecil joins the show as pressure grows on the government to send more vaccine doses to London. It's emerged the city's delivered just one tenth of the jabs nationally, which mayor Sadiq Khan says has him "hugely concerned". But there appears to be hope on the horizon, with hospital admissions dropping and infections falling in some boroughs. Nicholas also...

Health editor Ross Lydall joins the podcast as the Evening Standard reveals London’s getting fewer doses of coronavirus vaccine per head than other areas of the country. t’s down to a “fair share” system that’s distributing the Oxford and Pfizer doses equally between primary care networks.  London has the highest infection rates in the UK, but is losing out because its population is more...

The Evening Standard’s Sophia Sleigh tells us how her Sunday outing to a local park ended up with a political controversy. She spotted Boris Johnson out on his bike in Stratford with a security detail, seven miles away from Downing Street, at a time when the government’s telling everyone to “stay local”. Sophia says while the PM didn’t break any laws he has an “optics problem” with some claiming i...

The Chief Medical Officer, Chris Witty, is warning the health service will face unprecedented pressures as coronavirus continues to spread. In London, an estimated one in twenty have the infection. We speak to Lewisham GP Dr Louise Irvine who describes five hour waits for ambulances, poor co-ordination in the vaccine delivery system, and little support for those trying to stick to lockdown rules.&...

Health editor Ross Lydall joins the show to explain why the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has "put up the biggest red flag he can" as coronavirus runs rampant through the city. Ross tells us what that means for hospitals where doctors have told him they are "horrified" by the rise in cases that Mr Khan describes as "out of control". There are more than 7,000 Covid patients in London hospi...

A special edition of the Leader looks at the violence and rioting by Trump supporters at the Capitol in Washington. With contributions from reporters, historians, security experts and some of those who were in the building at the time, we examine the impact on democracy, US politics, and Donald Trump himself.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson’s under huge pressure to deliver a successful vaccine roll-out today as he promised MPs a “means of escape” from lockdown. Our political editor, Joe Murphy, says the Prime Minister’s announced that London’s ExCeL exhibition centre will host one of seven new mega-vaccination venues launched in stadia and halls next week. But he’s facing growing unease, including from within his o...

Michael Gove appears to have contradicted the Prime Minister's suggestion that the new lockdown in England will end in February, by suggesting it'll be March before restictions are lifted. The Evening Standard's political reporter Sophia Sleigh tells us why the new rules may be in force longer than first thought, and how that's impacting the country's economy as well as morale.  And Netflix s...

Our political editor Joe Murphy tells us why the “pitch is being rolled out” ahead of England being subjected to new, tougher, coronavirus restrictions. He says Boris Johnson’s been under huge pressure from within his own party, with former health secretary Jeremy Hunt among those calling for a national lockdown immediately. Meanwhile, education editor Anna Davis says headteachers are trying to wo...

Nine months ago, when we launched Food For London Now from a standing start 72 hours after lockdown, we did it because we feared food poverty would soar as vulnerable families came under pressure. Initially we thought raising £3 million to support our partner the Felix Project would be enough, but as the hunger crisis deepened, we set the bold goal of raising £10 million and founding central...

A huge swathe of the South-East and London’s commuter belt is to be plunged into Tier 3 restrictions, meaning pubs and restaurants must close. Our political editor Joe Murphy tells us the decision will affect millions of people, but it's still been decided that Big Ben should ring out the New Year. That's even though the Prime Minister has urged people to stay away from Westminster as 2020 comes t...

Boris Johnson's rejecting calls for him to scrap the relaxation of coronavirus rules, instead telling the Commons he wants people to "exercise extreme caution". Our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says that's despite an alarming rise in cases, particularly in London. He also says Wales and Scotland are deviating from what was once a UK-wide agreed course, piling more pressure on the Prime M...

An IPSOS Mori poll for the Evening Standard's revealed half the public thinks coronavirus rules over the Christmas period aren't strict enough. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson's under pressure to scale back the so-called festive “bubbles” as top scientists, medical experts and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt call for a review. But our political editor, Joe Murphy, says many people have already m...

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock's told the Commons, the UK's identified a "new variant" of Covid-19 as he announced London and parts of the south east are going into Tier 3 on Wednesday. He said the mutation may be associated with a faster spread of the virus in recent weeks. Our deputy political editor, Nicholas Cecil, tells us ministers had been trying to avoid the move, which will put busines...

Tens of thousands more Londoners are to be tested for Covid-19 in a bid to stem a rise in cases as the capital faces being plunged into Tier 3 restrictions. Our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says Health Secretary Matt Hancock has ordered the emergency action, which will see some of the extra 75,000 tests taking place as soon as this weekend. And the Evening Standard's Nick Curtis exp...

After nearly half a century, and an estimated 14,000 meals, Fay Maschler's putting down the cutlery as the Evening Standard's chief restaurant critic. She talks to our Reveller editor David Ellis about her pioneering career, from the death threats she received as a young woman to the "compost of average restaurants" she had to wade through to find those true gems. What is her favourite restaurant....

While Boris Johnson insists there's still a Brexit deal emerging, the Evening Standard's Jack Kessler looks at why the negotiations have been so hard. Geography, politics and even personalities have been among the unexpected issues conspiring to cause a deadlock. And we look at why it could be said Brussels has already got what it wanted: what other country would want to leave the EU after all thi...

Our health editor Ross Lydall's been speaking to some of the first people in London to receive the coronavirus vaccine. He tells us it's been an emotional moment for many of them, and even Health Secretary Matt Hancock couldn't hide his feelings as he was interviewed on TV about it. But, he also warns the number of cases and deaths in the capital is on the rise, leading to concerns the city could...

Our political editor Joe Murphy on the Brexit negotiations: what's real and what's just "theatre" at the roundtable in Brussels. He also discusses what's going on outside the room, with France and Germany bearing down on the talks. And he tells us why he believes it'll be Boris Johnson who will make the compromises needed to get a deal done.  Also, people getting the first covid-19 vacci...

A public health chief's warning of the risk of London being plunged into Tier 3 restrictions as the squeeze on Covid-19 cases appears to be faltering. Professor Kevin Fenton, London director for Public Health England, has told the Evening Standard people must stick to social distancing and self-isolation rules ahead of the first weekend since lockdown was lifted. The Leader podcast talks to D...

International organisations involved in distributing Covid-19 vaccines have been targeted by possible state-linked cyber spies, according to IBM. The US tech giant says it's uncovered a “global phishing campaign” it believes started in September. We speak to security expert Professor Alison Wakefield who says there's been a rise in hacking attempts during the pandemic, and this latest one loo...

A Covid-19 jab has been approved in Britain. The UK is believed to be the first country in the world to give the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine approval and it will be available across the country from next week. Our health editor, Ross Lydall, says it's going to be a "challenge" to get the injection to everyone who wants it, but hospitals in London are being prepared right now. He also says do...

In four weeks, new laws will end the decades-old duty free regime for travellers from outside the EU. The result will be to make shopping here 20 per cent more expensive for them. Our city editor Jim Armitage has written an open letter to Rishi Sunak, urging the chancellor to drop the plans. He argues they will wreck the hospitality and retail sectors at a time when they need customers most. Also,...

A Scotch egg may amount to a “substantial meal” so ordering one in a pub or restaurant could entitle people to drink alcohol under Covid-19 rules.  Environment Secretary George Eustice has said provided it was served as part of table service, he believes it would meet the criteria to be allowed to drink alcohol in pubs or restaurants in Tier 2. But our deputy political editor,...