The Standard

Are Londoners following the government’s instructions ? Some parts of London have been pictured eerily deserted, but on Tuesday morning the trains were packed with commuters. The Evening Standard’s Barney Davis has been - safely - cycling around the capital, and joins The Leader podcast to describe what he observed - including how the police have been immediately cracking down on shopkeepers...

Over the weekend UK parks and outdoor spaces were packed with people apparently defying the government advice to socially distance. Is Boris Johnson making a mess of the government's coronavirus messaging? Former Downing Street political aide, Alistair Campbell, tells The Leader podcast what he thinks the Government should do next. Stranded in Goa In the early hours of Monday morning, India’s...

As coronaviru s takes hold, some economists fear Covid-19 is bringing the world to the brink of a double-digit economic depression. The Evening Standard's consumer business editor, Jonathan Prynn, tells The Leader podcast the figures are “unbelievable" - and there are concerns the fallout could be on the scale of the 1930's. But he says governments everywhere are working to stop it happening....

The Evening Standard newspaper has been standing beside the public for 193 years. We’ve continued to distribute through pandemics, disasters and wars - even during the Blitz in WW2. The paper’s Editor George Osbourne speaks to The Leader podcast about what will be done to make sure you are kept informed during the coronavirus epidemic - and why it’s so vital. You can also read his full column...

The government is trying rush an emergency powers bill through parliament to take on coronavirus. It’s massive in scope and would give our leaders sweeping new powers. It’s necessary, but we should be aware of the consequences.  The Evening Standard’s political correspondent, Joe Murphy, joins The Leader podcast from Westminster to explain what the new powers will mean, as well as n...

The UK is not the same country it was yesterday. People are working from home. Public transport is virtually empty. The pubs are still open, but fewer patrons are going inside. How long will this last and what must the government do to help not just those who fall ill, but also the businesses threatened with going bust? The Evening Standard’s associate editor Julian Glover tells the Leader podcast...

What is it like to self-isolate with coronavirus ? The Leader podcast spoke to Chris Sumner, who’s been fighting the virus for seven days and is in recovery – with his wife, who also caught it – to see what their symptoms were. Not everyone will be self-isolating with someone for company, the Evening Standard’s deputy features editor Shannon Mahanty offers her advice for those home alone with Covi...

Is the government really doing enough to stop the spread of coronavirus? Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has written in the Evening Standard , criticising the UK’s strategy so far. Mr Hunt questions why Boris Johnson isn’t following the lead of countries like Japan, which he says have been successful in reducing infections with tough measures including school closures. But the Evening Standard...

The UK is preparing to take the next steps required to slow the spread of coronavirus - while scientists and health officials continue to emphasise the need for the public to do their bit too. Boris Johnson today led a Cobra meeting to discuss the UK’s next steps. The Evening Standard’s deputy political editor, Nicolas Cecil, joins The Leader podcast from Westminster Trump’s travel ban Donald...

The new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has delivered the conservative government’s new budget . As the NHS prepares for the spread of coronavirus, the chancellor promised the government’s full support ‘whatever the cost’ . He also announced plans to raise the National Insurance threshold and pledged money to help flood-hit regions. Economist Stephen King joins The Leader podcast to break down the budget...

Will coronavirus wreck your holiday? British Airways has cancelled all trips into and out of Italy . Quantas has cut passenger capacity by a quarter around the world. Popular destinations like Spain are reporting huge spikes in the number of people infected. On Broadway in New York, desperate producers are slashing the prices of tickets to top shows in an attempt to lure customers back to empty th...

As more and more people self-isolate from the coronavirus , more businesses are struggling to stay open. The ones that can are planning ahead to avoid disrupting the economy any more than it already is. So is the new Chancellor Rishi Sunak who on Wednesday will announce the budget . Economist Stephen King joins The Leader podcast to explain why this will be one of the hardest budgets yet...

The head of the World Health Organisation’s warning governments everywhere “this is not a drill,” as the number of people infected with coronavirus passes 100,000 . But while scientists race for a vaccine, is there a danger they’re being pressured to release something too soon? Meanwhile, in the US, concerns are growing after it emerged there aren’t enough testing kits, which could hurt the g...

The UK is now in phase two of its battle plan against coronavirus. The infection has defied containment , so now doctors are trying to delay a severe outbreak. The country’s chief medical officer Chris Witty explained what measures are now being taken to the Commons health and social care committee, and gave a warning that he expects the number of people to catch the virus “only to go up.” The Lea...

Coronavirus is coming, but what happens after it’s gone? Will it change our culture? The way we behave? Will home working become more acceptable? Will business travel be less popular? Evening Standard associate editor Julian Glover looks at the possible lasting legacy of the biggest public health emergency in a generation.  Biden’s Super Tuesday Joe Biden has won Super Tuesday in one of the m...

One in five employees may be too ill to work during a coronavirus outbreak this year, according to the Government’s battle plan which is putting Britain on an unprecedented war footing against the growing threat. The strategy’s been revealed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and could see police told to focus on responding to serious crimes if the disease cuts through their ranks. The Evening Stand...

The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock’s  written in the Evening Standard t o outline the Government’s coronavirus  “battle plan” . He describes how the country is in a ‘containment’ phase, and calls on the public to ‘do their duty’  to stop  its spread. He also says the government has the powers to ‘enforce’ self-isolation. As the number of cases in the UK rises again, the newspap...

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is being held inside an Iranian jail where campaigners claim people are dying from coronavirus . Tehran denies there is an outbreak among inmates at Evin, but the British government says they’re not taking that as “authoritative,” and Nazanin’s family say they’re extremely worried. Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, speaks to the Leader podcast about his calls for Downing St...

While doctors and governments struggle to stop the spread of coronavirus , the bug is already infecting stock markets and sports schedules . Trillions have been wiped off shares around the world in less than a week. Football games are being played behind closed doors. Massive events like the Olympics are reported to be at threat. The Leader Podcast speaks to the Evening Standard’s sports editor Ja...

Millions of people are being urged to avoid getting close to others as doctors say the coronavirus outbreak is now likely to become a pandemic . In the UK, the number of confirmed cases remains at 13, but the Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned MPs in the Commons that the number is ‘expected’ to rise. Does the government have a plan to deal with Covid-19 if it starts to spread in the UK? Mr Hanco...

An official report has concluded that politicians and institutions at Westminster ‘turned a blind eye’ to sex abuse against children for decades to protect their own reputations. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse say’s there’s ‘ample evidence’ of abusers linked to Westminster carrying out crimes – and that ‘nobody seemed to care about the fate of the children involved’. It also descr...

A fifth person has died in Italy from Coronavirus , South Korea reported more cases over the weekend, billions have been wiped off stock markets around the world. Despite global prevention measures, Covid-19 is continuing to spread, and cause damage to both health and the economy. In the UK, Downing Street insists the country is 'well prepared' and the risk to individuals 'remains low'. But for ho...

Britain’s top spy, Sir Alex Younger, has told the Evening Standard how teenagers are being recruited to MI6 as it battles to stay ahead in a new technology race. The agency’s lowering its recruitment age from 21 to 18, and appealing to the “best talent” from all social backgrounds in the UK. Our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil talks to the Leader Podcast about his exclusive story, including...

Germany fears the rise of the far right after a neo-Nazi gunman killed nine people in drive-by shootings. Tobias R also killed his mother before taking his own life, and left behind a video and note expressing “extreme” views on immigrants. The Leader speaks to the Evening Standard’s Allan Hall in Berlin, who tells us this is the latest in a series of killings connected to the far right, and...

The government says its proposed points-based immigration system is “firm and fair”. Business leaders warn it’s “a disaster”. The Leader speaks to the Evening Standard’s Jonathan Prynn to find out what the plans actually involve , and what their true impact on the UK and its economy could be. Will events like Wimbledon really be hit by a shortage of workers? The National Theatre's new season: When...