The Standard (The Evening Standard)

The Evening Standard's political editor, Joe Murphy, joins the show to tell us how the relaxation of lockdown restrictions "goes further than advertised". 

Trips to the seaside, the New Forest, favourite walks and cycle trails, plus top outdoor attractions such as castles, are all back within range of Londoners desperate to get out of the capital after lockdown, the Government confirmed to the Standard.

But Joe warns that people are being discouraged from hugging their friends and relatives, with Downing Street still concerned about rising coronavirus infection rates in Europe, where a third wave appears to be gathering strength. 

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Three months late and riddled with exemptions, the government is introducing quarantine rules for those who fly into the UK. They'll force people to self-isolate for 14 days, with exceptions including fruit pickers and possibly racing car drivers. Those who break the rules could be fined up to £1,000, but the Metropolitan police say it's not their job to enforce them. Our associate editor Julian Glover tells us why the Evening Standard's calling the laws "silly tokenism" and makes suggestions for how the government can safely allow people to take foreign holidays again. 

What are the rules for going outside this bank holiday, and is it alright to buy a pint? The Evening Standard's Amira Hashish has been out in Notting Hill, where some bars and restaurants are offering takeaway services. She tells us how there's confusion about what you can and cannot do, but also excitement about being able to buy a drink from a real pub again. You can find lots of ideas for the bank holiday, both indoors and out, on the Evening Standard's website. 

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Donald Trump's opponents have seized on a television interview in which the US President struggles to defend the country's record on coronavirus. He's also been criticised for dismissing civil rights leader John Lewis' legacy, and trying to explain why he wished Jeffrey Epstein's former partner Ghislaine Maxwell "well". The Evening Standard's Londoner editor Ayesha Hazarika, a former adviser to Labour, tells us why Mr Trump didn't look like he'd done enough prep, and why politicians even put themselves in front of interviewers at all. 

Also, the Evening Standard's consumer business editor Jonathan Prynn tells us why there's just four weeks to save summer for London after lockdown. He's seen figures showing that last week there were 63 per cent fewer people in the West End than last year, during what is normally the peak of the tourism season with central London full of visitors and office workers. He tells the podcast businesses will need a huge Christmas to get through the year, but there's little sign of that coming. 

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The BBC is under fire again, with the government apparently boycotting the Radio 4 Today programme, and critics accusing it of bias. The Evening Standard’s reporting BBC bosses are planning a big expansion of broadcasts outside of London to show the broadcaster’s listening to the whole of Britain, but with attacks also being lobbed at the license fee, is this now the time for a much wider modernisation programme? The Leader talks to our comments editor, Susannah Butter.

Also, we reveal the extraordinary story of the late Standard film critic Alexander Walker who quietly amassed a huge art collection including works by Picasso and Hockney. Our arts correspondent Robert Dex tells us how when experts when to Mr Walker’s small flat in Maida Vale they discovered valuable pieces leaning on the kitchen sink, and propped up in a cupboard next to the vacuum cleaner. The entire collection is now to go on display at the British Museum. 

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The Evening Standard's Jonathan Prynn and Nicholas Cecil discuss how measures to curb the spread of coronavirus have hit the capital city. More than £50bn has been wiped from London's economy, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CERB), but latest infection figures reveal the stats are continuing to head in the right direction with the rate for the city as a whole at 36.5 as of March 17, down nine per cent on the previous week.

We also discuss how the threat of a third wave hitting the UK could be staved off if the vaccination programme continues to be rolled-out at speed, but doctors are warning it's "a race against time" with the virus gathering strength on the continent. 

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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 work out how they can ever re-open schools, while the government continues to insist that exams will take place this year as planned.

And Julian Assange will not be extradited from the UK to the US, and the suicide of Jeffrey Epstein in an American jail is one of the reasons why. Our courts correspondent Tristan Kirk says a judge at the Old Bailey ruled the prison service Stateside wouldn’t be safe enough for Mr Assange, who the court heard has been suffering from depression while at Belmarsh. 

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The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, has told the Evening Standard that opening schools in September is a "moral imperative". Where does that leave parents who are unsure about the risks, or children who haven't seen a classroom since March? Child psychologist Emma Kenny gives advice on how to talk to young people who may be worried about the health and social risks of going back to school, and warns that we cannot raise a generation that doesn't understand how to take risks. 

Also, Kellyanne Conway, the White House adviser who invented the phrase "alternative facts", has quit just as Donald Trump's election campaign ramps up ahead of the November vote. She says she needs to spend more time with her family, as her own husband leads a Republican revolt against the President and her 15-year-old daughter says she wants emancipation from her parents. Columnist Matthew D'Ancona tells us her declared reasons for leaving may not be "the whole story" and she will be remembered not as the mastermind behind an extraordinary election win, but as the woman who ushered in the post-truth era. 

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Doctors are hoping a sharp drop in the number of covid-19 cases in London means the worst has passed in the city. They've fallen by almost 1,000 in a week, after six successive daily reductions. One hospital has two vacant wards. The Evening Standard's Jonathan Prynn's been talking to frontline medics who say the stress they've been under has "evaporated", but are warning the recovery could take longer than the treatment. 

Educators, experts and celebrities from David Attenborough to Danny Dyer have answered an unprecedented call to help teach the UK's children. As the Easter holiday ends and the summer term begins, they're mucking in with online classes for parents still educating their kids at home. 'Horrible Histories' historian and 'You're Dead to Me' podcast host, Greg Jenner, is among those taking part, and he tells the podcast it's a call to arms unheard of in the history books.  

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The Evening Standard’s courts correspondent Tristan Kirk joins the show as the lawyer representing the Duke of York’s accuser has warned against anyone ignoring the US courts, claiming the royal’s legal team have “stonewalled” appeals for information.

Virginia Giuffre is suing the Queen’s son for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager, and has said it was “past the time for him to be held to account”.

David Boies, who represents Ms Giuffre, says his client ultimately wants “vindication” from her civil suit for damages.

Andrew has vehemently denied the allegations in the past, and a spokesman for the duke said there was “no comment” when asked to respond to Ms Giuffre’s legal action.

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If a Leicester-style Covid-19 outbreak hits London, town halls are warning they need more information on how they could enforce a local lockdown. Mayor Sadiq Khan says London isn’t ready for a second surge, and if one hits, more people could lose their lives. The Evening Standard’s Nicholas Cecil has pieced together what plans are in place to stop a surge spiralling out of control, but tells us public health chiefs are operating in the dark.

And, a list of air bridges with the UK is set to be released this week and airlines are already ramping up their flight schedules. So does this mean summer is saved? Abta’s Sean Tipton tells us we’re likely to see a boom in out-of-season travel.

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Councils and charities today warned they could be facing an "unprecedented rise" in rough sleeping numbers over the winter as furlough ends and town halls struggle with funding. Councils, who housed thousands of people during the first wave, are now struggling with funding. The Evening Standard’s local democracy reporter Rachael Burford says they’re anticipating £97 million in spending to help manage homelessness. 

And, President Donald Trump and his democratic challenger Joe Biden are in their final days of the 2020 election campaign. The candidates are set to barnstorm across America’s heartland as they race towards the White House. The Economist senior editor Anne McElvoy tells us how Mr Biden’s lead in the polls is impacting Mr Trump’s campaign and whether the President could be the first big political casualty of the pandemic.

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London’s National Health Service has reached its “hour of need”. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has issued an appeal to businesses and organisations across the capital to lend vehicles, hotel rooms, and spare medical equipment. The NHS is under pressure for beds and staffing and people are starting to help. The London Fire brigade have offered staff as ambulance drivers and thousands of people have signed up to be NHS volunteers. Even 5* hotels such as Claridge’s are offering their beds and hot meals to doctors, nurses and other key workers. The Evening Standard's political editor Joe Murphy speaks to The Leader podcast on how vital it is that more of us provide support to those who ceaselessly care for us.

UK pollution has fallen to its lowest levels during the coronavirus lockdown. The public are driving less, public transport services and commercial flights have either been reduced or cancelled. Data from the London Air Quality Network, run by Kings College, compared the current pollution levels with the average.  The Leader podcast speak to Simon Birkett, founder of Clean Air London, to find out how much of a difference there is and what the long term impact might be.

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The Metropolitan police have made hundreds of arrests after raiding homes of criminals in self-isolation. The Evening Standard's crime correspondent Anthony France tells the Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast, it's an example of a police force acting properly, at a time when others are being criticised for clamping down on people going for walks or "driving to relieve boredom".

There is no cure for coronavirus, but that doesn't stop some people from offering alternative medications. The Evening Standard's Liam Coleman tells us about the London church leader selling 'divine plague protection' for £91 per kit. 

It’ll be a while before you hear a choir in full swing again, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t groups still going. Through online meet-ups people are enjoying singing with total strangers – in some cases hundreds of them at the same time. The Evening Standard’s Katie Strick’s been joining in, and tells the podcast why it's so popular. 

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After 102 days with no locally transmitted infections, coronavirus is back in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed four cases have been found in Auckland, the country's biggest city, which has now been put into lockdown. Restrictions are being increased in the rest of the country, with people being asked by the government to wear masks for the first time. Radio New Zealand host Karyn Hay joins the podcast and tells us how shops had to shut their doors to protect their staff after panic buyers descended on them almost immediately after the news broke.

Also, almost three quarters of a million jobs have been lost in the British economy since the start of the coronavirus lockdown. The Office for National Statistics says  730,289 fewer people were receiving a wage from an employer in July than in March, when Boris Johnson issued the “stay at home” order. The Evening Standard's consumer business editor Jonathan Prynn says the figures are the worst since 2009, and could get higher still as the furlough scheme comes to an end.

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There have been 135 violent deaths in London since the start of 2019. That's a high not seen for eleven years. The city is in the grip of knife crime epidemic that authorities appear powerless to stop. The Evening Standard’s crime correspondent Anthony France talks to the Leader podcast about what efforts have been made, and what more can be done. 

Also, the 45th President of the United States is set to become only the third in history to be impeached. Ahead of the vote, Donald Trump's gone on the attack, sending a 6-page letter to Democrat Nancy Pelosi, and comparing the whole thing to the Salem Witch Trials. The Evening Standard's US correspondent, David Gardner, tells us what's happening on Capitol Hill. 

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US historian Christopher Phelps, associate professor at Nottingham University, tells us Joe Biden’s “visceral, personal” opinions on Afghanistan have been shaped by his feelings as a father. His son, Beau, served in Iraq in 2009. He died in 2015 from a brain tumour, and Christopher says many of President Biden’s decisions in the Oval Office appear to have been influenced his family.

We also discuss the international repercussions of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, including asking if the collapse of Kabul can be compared to the fall of Saigon in 1975. 

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Thousands of school children are returning to classrooms, but huge numbers of adults are still working from home. How do we get those people to return to a city centre that's at risk of dying? We speak to the Evening Standard's associate editor Julian Glover about the newspaper's call for Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan to show more leadership for the capital's 9 million residents. He says many are still afraid of covid-19 despite encouraging figures on infection rates and hospital admissions. And he asks how hard is it for the Prime Minister and Mayor to get on a tube and show public transport is safe? 

Also, Extinction Rebellion captured headlines around the world when they brought London to standstill last year with marches and  a pink boat on Oxford Street. But the campaigners also struck the wrong note when they attempted to disrupt trains, and some of their stunts, such as an attempt to shut down Heathrow with drones, have fallen flat. As they return to the city for 10 days of protest, our features writer Sam Fishwick says leaders know the campaign needs a reboot to recapture the public's imagination. 

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Central London is facing the biggest economic crisis in generations with tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses at risk of being wiped out in Britain’s most vibrant economic powerhouse. An Evening Standard investigation has unearthed the true scale of the problem, revealing predictions that 50,000 jobs in the vulnerable retail, tourism and hospitality sectors could disappear in the West End alone this year with total spending down by half — a loss of revenue of about £5 billion — as a direct result of the coronavirus lockdown. Our consumer business editor Jonathan Prynn tells the podcast why it's the worst outlook since the Second World War.

Also, Andy Byford earned the nickname "Train Daddy" when he turned around New York's failing transit system. Now he's back in London, where he started as a trainee on the underground, having been picked as TfL's commissioner by Sadiq Khan. The Evening Standard's City Hall editor Ross Lydall takes him for a walk around the city to find out what the new boss's plans for the future are. Is Crossrail among them? And how will he get reluctant commuters back on the tube?

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Matt Hancock's dramatically raising hopes of a Covid-19 vaccine within months. The Health Secretary says it's “looking up” that a drug being developed by experts at the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca would be granted approval for use soon after trials in several countries, including the UK, US and Brazil. But the Evening Standard's deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says we've yet hear confirmation from the medical community, and with coronavirus cases rising again the government needs to deliver on its promises to retain public confidence. 

And, bust up or brinkmanship? Our associate editor Julian Glover looks at what's going on with Brexit. The Prime Minister's vowing he "won't back down" as alarms sound following reports the government's planning to overwrite parts of the Withdrawal Agreement. It could lead to trade talks collapsing in mid-October, and a "no deal" scenario returning to discussions. Could the UK really "prosper mightily" as the Prime Minister claims?

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Nato is celebrating its 70th anniversary with a summit in Watford, but after all these years, are the threads of the alliance starting to fray? Donald Trump's cancelled a press conference after Canada's PM Justin Trudeau was caught on camera apparently gossiping about the US President. France is asking questions about America's commitment. The Leader Podcast speaks to the Evening Standard's US correspondent David Gardner.

Also, Arts Correspondent Robert Dex speaks to the Leader after the Turner Prize was given to everyone on the shortlist. Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo and Tai Shani formed a collective at the ceremony in Margate. Has the competition that likes to shock gone too far?

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds have announced the birth of their son.  Born in the early hours of the morning at a London hospital, the pair have thanked their “fantastic NHS team” .

After a busy few months and being struck down with the virus, it is unlikely for the Prime Minister to take any more time off.  The Leader podcast speaks to the Evening Standard’s ‘Londoner' editor Ayesha Hazarika on the latest from Downing Street. We ask her whether the gender of a prime minister makes any difference when their child is born?

Restaurants remain to stay closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The simple pleasure of dining out with loved ones will not be the same for at least a couple of years. But how can restaurants come back from this? There isn’t yet a government led guideline in place. The Leader podcast speak to Michelin star chef Jason Atherton and ask how he plans to reopen – and still succeed – in a post lockdown world.  Can a restaurant really survive with social distancing for another two years?

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Our political editor Joe Murphy tells us the government’s fears of a new, as yet unknown, coronavirus mutation are behind its “timid” approach to lifting lockdown. Despite pressure from some MPs in his own party, Boris Johnson’s resisting demands to speed up the process saying the way out “will be “cautious but irreversible”.We hear how that’s causing a row inside Downing Street, but measures such as “Covid Passports” are being ruled out.

Also, features writer Katie Strick gives us the lowdown on pregnancy for the famous in LA, following the Duchess of Sussex’s announcement that she’s expecting a second baby. Learn about the hospitals where a “natural birth” means not wearing make-up and which celebrity pals might be God parents to the new arrival. 

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Can London's hospitals cope with what doctors are calling a 'tsunami' of coronavirus cases? The Evening Standard's Jonathan Prynn has been speaking to medical workers who talk of exhaustion, stress and an alarming lack of equipment. He speaks to the Leader Podcast as a campaign is launched for the public to show their support for the NHS

Fines for breaking distancing rule

The Evening Standard today broke the news that there will be a £60 on-the-spot fine for those who break the government's rules on social gatherings. This would double for subsequent offences. The Evening Standard’s political editor Joe Murphy joins The Leader podcast to discuss the impact of these fines. He also explores the complexities of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s financial “rescue plan” for the self-employed, due to be announced Thursday evening.  

Artists in trouble

What is it like to be a performing arts professional during this crisis? Many venues have closed which has left artists without work. The Leader podcast speak to pianist and composer Stephen Hough who reveals his suddenly empty diary of performances - and explains the knock-on effect this is having on him as a self-employed person.

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Heath Secretary Matt Hancock has put the country on notice for a national social lockdown, saying: “I fear more people will die.” But our political editor Joe Murphy says restrictions this time could be a lot different than before, with an emphasis on keeping friends apart. He also tells us about the crunch Downing Street meetings this week, where scientists called for the Prime Minister to force a "circuit break" but the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, warned about the "extremely worrying" forecasts for the economy if we go into any form of extended lockdown. 

Also, the Coram adoption charity is reporting a massive increase in the number of people looking to take in children during this pandemic. It says numbers are up 24% on last year, and it thinks it's down to people having time to reflect on what's important in their lives. We speak to the charity's Sue Lowndes who says the rising interest has taken them by surprise, but delighted children who feared their chances of finding a new home would be hurt in a time of social isolation. She also gives advice for those who are considering adoption themselves. 

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After a crunch meeting Boris Johnson has said that Huawei should be allowed a limited role in the new UK 5G infrastructure – despite lobbying from the Trump administration against Huawei’s involvement. Boris Johnson has now been warned that a US-UK trade deal could be blocked in Congress. Huawei have always denied having connections with the Chinese government.

Amelia Heathman the Evening Standard’s tech columnist joins The Leader podcast to explain what 5G will mean for the UK, and discuss the security concerns around Huawei’s involvement. 

New migration rules:

As Britain prepares to finally exit the EU this week, new migration rules are being announced – and official policy suggests that London will be less well-off with fewer jobs as a consequence. The Evening Standard’s Home Affairs editor Martin Bentham joins the podcast to explain the proposed changes and discuss how they will impact London.

Nicholas Parsons dies:

One of the UK’s best known broadcasters Nicholas Parsons has died at the age of 96 following a short illness. The Evening Standard’s Nick Curtis celebrates the memory of a broadcasting great.

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TRANSCRIPT:

David Marsland 0:00  

Thank you for listening to The Leader and please do share the podcast with your friends. You can like comment, rate and share through your favorite podcast provider now, from the Evening Standard in London, this is The Leader.

Hi, I'm David Marsland, China's Huawei will play a role in the UK is 5g network and the United States is not happy 

Amelia Heathman 0:31  

Back in 2009-2011 Vodafone Italy discovered backdoors in some of the Huawei equipment, it just sort of added to those heightened suspicions around the company and what could possibly happen

David Marsland 0:42  

The Evening Standard senior tech journalist Amelia Heathman explains why there are so many concerns about the tech company. Also 

Martin Bentham 0:49  

At the moment EU citizens have freedom of movement that is coming to an end because of Brexit. And so a new system is being designed 

David Marsland 0:56  

Martin Bentham on the new migration rules so this newspaper says could hit London hard. And 

Nicholas Parsons 1:02  

I mean you do something you enjoy and you work hard and you put your effort and if you've got some reward out of the work you do it's it's marvelous. I'm privileged. 

David Marsland 1:13  

Nicholas Parsons has died at the age of 96. Our critic Nick Curtis pays tribute.

Taken from the evening standards editorial column this is The Leader for the whole thing pick up the newspaper or head to standard.co.uk/comment. In a moment Amelia Heathman on been on Huawei, is the Chinese from really a security risk?

Before the National Security Council met to discuss the UK's 5g network the US sent a letter to Boris Johnson warning him not to include Huawei. Post-Brexit trade agreement could be at risk it said if the Chinese tech company was allowed into the UK data network - this...

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London’s hospitality industry has lashed out at Boris Johnson’s ‘misguided’ 10pm curfew, saying it's causing huge damage to the economy without the scientific evidence to back up the health benefits. The industry’s most influential leaders say that a staggered system of rolling closing times would be safe and give venues a better chance at operating profitably. The Caterer’s deputy editor Emma Lake says they want the government to work with the industry to plan a safer, longer-term approach, rather than enforcing a blanket rule. 

And, MPs have come under fire from virus experts for raising hopes that a Covid-19 vaccine will be a ‘one-shot wonder’ that will swiftly allow millions to return to normal life. The Evening Standard’s health editor Ross Lydall says they’re warning the government not to ‘overblow’ the impact, and say that a vaccine may not be widely available for another 18 months. 

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International pressure is bearing down on Iran, who are accused of shooting down the Boeing 737 Ukrainian Airlines plane that crashed minutes after take-off from Imam Kohmeini airport in Tehran. Several of the Western nations’ intelligence services believe that Iran may have accidently shot the plane down. Iran has invited manufacture Boeing to investigate the crash of the Ukrainian Airlines plane but still reject the claims and are refusing to answer questions.

What is the truth? The Evening Standard’s Deputy Political Editor Nicholas Cecil joins The Leader podcast from parliament.

Meghan jets off to Toronto:

Harry and Meghan ‘quit’ the Royal family in a bombshell announcement this week, and the Duchess of Sussex has already left for Canada to be with their son Archie. The front page of the Evening Standard today says they see themselves as “disrupters”. The Evening Standard’s Jonathan Prynn who has been reporting on the Royals speaks to The Leader podcast about Harry and Meghan’s emerging future plans. 

TRANSCRIPT:

David Marsland  

Released at 4pm every weekday The Leader brings you the best of the Evening Standard's news commentary and analysis. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode from the Evening Standard in London.... This, is The Leader

Hi, I'm David Marsland. International pressure is bearing down on Iran accused of shooting down a passenger plane with 176 lives lost.

Nicholas Cecil  

There already appears to be signs of a possible cover up with debris from the plane having already been bulldozed away from the crash site.

David Marsland  

Our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil on the questions Tehran refuses to answer

Also.

Jonathan Prynn  

 the Sussexes see themselves as young, energetic challengers

David Marsland  

Jonathan Prynn speaks to The Leader as details begin to emerge of Harry and Megan's future plans. They want to be disruptors.

Taken from the Evening Standard editorial column this is The Leader, for the whole thing pick up the newspaper or head to standard.co.uk/comment, in a moment: why Iran must tell the truth about the plane crash thatlooks like a tragic mistake.

Around 1030 at night on Wednesday and explosion it was heard over to run. Out of breath rescuers race to the site where the passenger plane had come down, but the only found flames, none of the 176 on board survived.

Justin Trudeau  

We have intelligencee from multiple sources, including our allies and our own intelligence, the evidence indicates that the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface to air missile.

David Marsland  

Canadian president Justin Trudeau addressing a country that lost 63 of its citizens lay the blame at around that night at attack to us basis in Iraq.

Donald...

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The Prime Minister’s urging everyone eligible for a coronavirus vaccine jab to get one, as the Indian variant continues its spread in parts of England. The government doesn’t appear to be ruling out local lockdowns to stop the mutation, and Boris Johnson would only say he’s still looking at the data when asked if the June 21st “freedom” date could be delayed.

Meanwhile, there’s confusion over the new traffic light foreign travel system following health secretary Matt Hancock advising people not to go to countries on the amber list for holidays. The Evening Standard’s deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil joins the show to decipher what’s going on, and give medical expert’s advice on the Indian variant’s spread in London.

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If you’re a big supporter of Labour winning the Christmas election then buckle up as it really isn’t looking too good for them. According to a survey based on YouGov polling they are headed towards a huge defeat. Things might change if there is a late surge in voter registration but so far so it looks as though they are set to lose both Kensington in London, Dagenham and Rainham which have been a big supporter of Labour for decades.

It’s not that the public are enthusiastic about Boris Johnson and The Conservatives or that they aren’t looking for change. It is simply that they do not like or trust Jeremy Corbyn.

The Leader podcast have spoken to The Evening Standard’s Londoner editor Ayesha Hazarika.

It’s been 19 years since 10 year old Damilola Taylor was stabbed to death on his way home from a library in Peckham. Despite years of campaigning to tackle youth crime, his father Richard Herring told the Evening Standard that society has now become “normalised” to it. The Evening Standard’s Crime Correspondent Anthony France spoke to Richard about what they are doing as a family to continue Damilola’s legacy, supporting the Violence Reduction Unit in London and plans to support trainee doctors.

Huge Victorian gas holders were once gleaming iron towers dotted around the city. Now they look to shape London’s skyline long after anyone can remember why they were built in the first place. One on the Old Kent Road is to be kept as the centre of a new housing development and The Leader podcast spoke to The Evening Standard’s Jonathan Prynn about what’s so special about this gas holder.

***

TRANSCRIPT

PRESENTER:

Thanks for listening to the leader you can subscribe and rate from your favorite podcast provider. Now from the Evening Standard in London, this is the leader for

PRESENTER:

Hi I'm David Marsland Labour is in trouble and Jeremy Corbyn is the reason why

AYESHA HAZARIKA:

I've spoken to three Labour MPs this morning from all across the country. And they're dismayed but not surprised by that poll.

PRESENTER:

The standard’s Ayesha Hazarika explains the parties new election strategy as a major poll shows the Tories winning with a big majority

also,

ANTHONY FRANCE:

every time he hears about a youngster being stabbed to death in London, you know, he feels it as if it's his own son.

PRESENTER:

Our crime correspondent Anthony France has spoken to the father of Damilola Taylor, about the family's plans to support training doctors in his son's name

JONATHAN PRYNN:

and it's unusual and very large when it was created. In 1891, it was the largest gas holder

anywhere in the world.

PRESENTER:

Jonathan Prynn speaks to us about London's love of Victorian gas houses with an iconic one at Old Kent road set to be...

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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 doctors and government ministers are insisting "no corners have been cut" in ensuring the safety of the vaccine, despite the speed in which it's been prepared. 

And, London has sprung back to life on a frenzied “Wild Wednesday” of shopping and eating out after the four-week lockdown to control Covid-19 infections ended at one-minute past midnight. The capital returned to Tier 2 status that allowed “non-essential” retailers to open again as well as restaurants and pubs that serve drinks with a “substantial meal”. We speak to the editor of the Evening Standard's Reveller pages, David Ellis, who says people have been missing the "sense of occasion" that going out can bring, but warns even with a busy few weeks ahead some establishments may still close in the spring. 

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Horrific figures revealing 12,000 deaths from coronavirus in care homes in England and Wales since the crisis began have re-ignited appeals for staff and patients to get better protection from the infection. The numbers are from the Office for National Statistics who are warning they're still "looking into" it and could announce an even higher figure soon. The Evening Standard's deputy political editor, Nicholas Cecil, says Number 10's promising action, but Labour says it's far too late. 

The covid-19 infection rate in London appears to be falling to just 24 new cases a day, but that's not releasing the pressure on mayor Sadiq Khan. A £1.6 billion bail-out deal with the government's rescued Transport for London, but come with several strings attached. There'll be a review of finances, a commitment to run a 100% service as soon as possible, and government public health warnings will replace the mayor's own ones in stations. Fares are to go up, and free travel be slashed back. Comment editor Susannah Butter interviewed Mr Khan while was waiting for the government's deal, and she tells us how difficult the mayor's future looks. 

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Our political editor Joe Murphy tells us why the Electoral Commission’s launched a “bombshell” investigation into the redecoration of 11 Downing Street. The watchdog says it’s “now satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred.”

The announcement came shortly before Prime Minister’s Questions, during which Boris Johnson was also asked again if he said he’d rather “let the bodies pile high” than have a third lockdown. The Prime minister gave a strong denial in the Commons, but Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appeared to suggest he would return to it later saying: “I’ll leave that there for now.” Joe tells us that’s sparked speculation the Labour party has more information that’s not yet been revealed to the public. 

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Around 375,000 pupils in England were at home last week because someone in their school bubble had tested positive for coronavirus. From that number, the Department for Education says just 4% of those affected had the infection.

Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School & College Leaders, tells the Leader podcast it’s time to re-consider how we manage coronavirus in classrooms. He explains how damaging the disruption to young people’s education the current system could be if it continues, and suggests what improvements could be made.

He also talks about the appearance of Sir Kevan Collins before MPs on the Education Select Committee. The man who quit as the education recovery commissioner says the government’s response to helping pupils “catch up” on missed schooling has been “feeble”.

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Londoners are still processing the horrific disappearance and death of Sarah Everard, there is a renewed focus on what more can be done to keep women safe on the streets. As the inquest into Sarah’s death opened today, it’s been a particularly stressful time for teachers at secondary-age schools around Clapham in south-west London, where she disappeared. We speak to Gill Cross, Deputy Head Mistress at Streatham and Clapham High School, an independent girls’ school with over 500 pupils, where teachers have been supporting pupils and empowering them to report abuse.

In Covid vaccine developments, as the Government admits there will be a delay in the vaccine rollout - but insists it’s on track - we speak to Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, about the Indian government’s decision to hold back millions of doses from Britain, the ongoing row with the European Commission over jab exports and where all this leaves Boris Johnson’s roadmap.

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The Evening Standard’s Jonathan Prynn was at Wembley for the England v Italy Euro 2020 final. He tells the podcast there was a “dark atmosphere” even before the game began and it was clear there were more people than seats in his area, suggesting a security lapse.

Gareth Southgate has been praising his players, saying the team was a ‘beacon of light’ that ‘brought the country together’. But the FA’s condemned racist abuse directed at Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka who all missed their penalties in the 3-2 shootout loss.

Meanwhile, police arrested 49 people in the aftermath of Sunday’s Euro 2020 final as officers confronted “volatile crowds”. Nineteen officers were injured during violent scenes outside Wembley stadium and in central London.

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Boris Johnson has cancelled major moves out of lockdown including the reopening of wedding parties and casinos in response to a rise in coronavirus cases. The Prime Minister called a press conference to announce that he was “squeezing the brake” on the reopening of the economy and society in order “to protect those we love”. It follows the health secretary imposing lockdown on parts of the north, saying people weren't following social distancing. Our political reporter Sophia Sleigh tells us how the move came as a shock, with just three hours notice. 

Also, Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple have revealed their financial results, showing all of them made big money during the pandemic lockdowns across the globe. The figures come after bosses from the tech firms appeared before the US congress, where they were grilling on their size and influence. We speak to New York-based tech expert Joshua Lowcock, who says the industry needs a regulator. 

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In today’s podcast:

Deal or no deal, our Associate Editor Julian Glover says despite Boris Johnson’s ‘do-or-die’ insistence, there’s no end in sight to the Brexit horror show.

Donald Trump has met with the grieving parents of British teenager Harry Dunn. But the President’s treatment of them was “flamboyant cruelty”.

And Royal Editor Robert Jobson joins the podcast from Pakistan where he’s been following the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their tour of the country. He discusses how the royal visit is helping establish British-Pakistani relations in preparation for life post-Brexit. 

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock's confirmed the UK's coronavirus vaccination programme could begin "from the start of December", but our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says it won't be available to everyone straight away. He also says a second vaccine, being researched in Oxford, could be just weeks away from being ready. As the world breathes a sigh of relief with the end of the coronavirus era in sight, Nicholas warns the UK government says it's not over yet. 

And, it's been widely reported that Dominic West’s marriage to Catherine Fitzgerald is “as good as over”. The 51-year-old star of the Affair is said to have admitted his “feelings” for 31-year-old actress Lilly James. The Evening Standard's Katie Law says the story of an older man leaving for a younger woman has been told many times, but in the modern age it's the wife who turns out to be the big winner. 

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Evening Standard crime correspondent Anthony France takes us through the events that turned a peaceful vigil on Clapham Common into a violent protest with four arrests. Could Scotland Yard have done more to ensure the event took place as planned in the first place, and why did officers apparently switch strategies as evening fell and some of those still there became more angry?

He also discusses the future of Met Commissioner Cressida Dick, who is under pressure to resign over what happened with politicians like the Lib-Dem's Sir Ed Davey saying she should quit. 

But Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel are giving her their full backing, and she insists she's the right woman to lead the force as London, and the UK, tries to reckon with violence against women.

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Boris Johnson is calling for the nuclear pact with Iran to be replaced with a new “Trump deal”. In an interview with the BBC, he says it’s time to “dial down” tension in the Middle East, after the US assassination of Iranian general Quasem Soleimani. The Evening Standard’s deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil’s covering the story and joins The Leader podcast.

Harry and Meghan’s possible future home:

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are borrowing a $14 million mansion on Vancouver Island while their future is finalised. ES Magazine Editor-in-Chief Laura Weir wrote a piece in the Evening Standard today revealing why the destination is so desirable, and joins the podcast to discuss why the it could be the perfect place for the Sussexes to make a new life.

BTS x Serpentine collaboration:

Korean pop group BTS – the biggest boyband in the world – are releasing an art exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London, the Evening Standard’s Arts Correspondent Robert Dex joins The Leader podcast to explain the motive behind the unusual move.

TRANSCRIPT:

David Marsland  

From the Evening Standard in London, this is The Leader

Hi I'm David Marsland, Boris Johnson's told America and Iran to dial it down and make a deal

Nicholas Cecil  

Mr. Johnson did praise Mr Trump as a great deal maker,

David Marsland  

Our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecile and the Prime Minister surprise intervention into US politics, also:

Laura Weir  

The ones I saw were pretty massive, you know, they're these amazing beautiful wooden structures often like mansions with, you know, various entrances for boats to more and platforms for people to dive off and BBQ gardens and terraces. 

David Marsland  

We speak to ES magazine editor in chief Laura Weir about her time in the same area Harry and Megan are borrowing a $14 million mansion while their future is finalized. And:

Robert Dex  

It's a very unusual move and you can see why the serpentine said yes though.

David Marsland  

South Korea's BTS are the biggest boy band in the world, why are they collaborating with London's Serpentine on a massive art project? The Standard's Robert tax explains.

Taken from the Evening Standard editorial column, this is The Leader. For the whole thing pick up the newspaper or head to standard.co.uk/comment. In a moment Nicholas Cecil on Boris Johnson's appeal to the US and Iran.

David Marsland

Boris Johnson's calling for the nuclear pact with Iran to be replaced with a new Trump deal. In an interview with the BBC he says it's time to dial down tension in the Middle East after the US assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil is covering the story. Nicholas, this seems like quite a surprising intervention.

Nicholas...

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The ‘force’s sweetheart’, Dame Vera Lynn, has died aged 103. She became a symbol of hope and inspiration for those on the front line of World War Two, and again this year, when the Queen evoked the lyrics in her beloved song ‘we will meet again’ as she rallied the nation in the face of a global pandemic. The head of the Armed Forces charity SSAFA, Sir Andrew Gregory, tells us how Dame Vera’s charm spanned generations.

And, the Duchess of Cambridge has a message for the nation’s children as they prepare to return to school: your feelings of frustrations will pass, be kind to one another. She’s tapped in to a serious message from the Harris Federation, who have noticed children are withdrawn and even frightened of returning to the classroom. Director of secondary education Carolyn English tells us this only adds to the argument for schools to reopen quickly.

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Today the Office for National Statistics says GDP grew by 0.3 percent in the third quarter of the year. But that’s still the lowest since 2010 – and there are plenty of reasons for concern about what comes next. Our political editor Joe Murphy joins us to tell us more.

Next month, RMT union members will hold strike action on South Western Railway services into Waterloo for 27 days. They says it’s about safety. But a video of one its bosses Steve Hedley making allegedly anti-semitic remarks has re-emerged. Julian Glover asks why the union’s not taking action about that.

On Armistice Day 2019, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn broke off from campaigning to observe two minutes silence for the fallen. Mr Corbyn was in Islington, Mr Johnson in Wolverhampton. And the Standard believe’s the Queen’s emotion at the Cenetaph on Sunday speaks for us all.

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Labour have pledged to make broadband free for all by renationalising BT Openreach if they win the General Election. The idea has been labelled a “fantasy plan” by The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nicky Morgan.

We spoke to the Evening Standard’s Consumer Business Editor Jonathan Prynn who explains why this plan would harm us all.

London is home to eight wonderful Royal parks which create 5,000 acres of green space in one of the busiest cities in the world. Now Royal Parks bosses are set to ban “rat running” traffic in some areas in a bid to improve air quality. The Leader podcast left the newsroom to take a walk with our City Hall editor Ross Lydell to discuss why the Evening Standard believes this is a great idea.

England's emphatic 7-0 victory over Montenegro last night brought qualification for next summer’s Euro 2020 tournament. The Leader podcast spoke to Evening Standard Deputy Digital Sports editor Tom Dutton on why we have good reason to look forward to the competition.

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In today's episode:

Boris Johnson has done a lot of manoeuvring to get his hands on the PM crown, he is determined for it to stay that way too. Our associate editor Julian Glover explains how politics has always been about the exercise of power, and why Boris is going nowhere if he can help it.

A new report from the Office for National Statistics shows that UK borrowing is increasing because of Brexit. This is storing up for trouble for the future of our finances. We believe that the UK should stop borrowing – or we’ll all pay the price.

A final trailer has been released for Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker. We sit down with deputy features editor Phoebe Luckhurst and our arts editor Will Moore to find out if the force is strong with JJ Abrams’ finale to the epic saga.

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The Evening Standard’s education editor, Anna Davis, is back on the show as the GCSE results are revealed. They show another record year, with 28.9 per cent graded 7/A and above, compared with 26.2 per cent last year. In 2019, the last year exams were held, the figure was 20.8 per cent. Leading the way is London, which has better results than anywhere else in the country… but why?

Also, as with A-Levels, girls have done much better than boys nationwide. Is it really, as one expert claims, because “girls are cleverer than boys” or has the disruption caused by the pandemic something to do with it. In two years’ time, the current GCSE students will be taking their A-Levels but it’s expected to be the first time many of them will have ever sat a formal exam. How will that affect results in 2023?

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Some of the Evening Standard’s top culture, restaurant, bar and travel critics join the podcast to give their advice on where people should go in London as lockdown restrictions are eased further. 

Nancy Durrant tells us what the Theatre Royal Drury Lane’s doing to entice people back with not just a show, but an all day experience. 

Suzannah Ramsdale says some of the city’s best hotels have revamped their offerings to lure staycationers in with incentives like ‘Sleep Concierges’ for those struggling with insomnia. 

Our Reveller editor David Ellis reveals how pubs and restaurants have been using the outdoor restrictions to get staff back up to speed and ready for indoor service. 

And the Evening Standard’s consumer business editor Jonathan Prynn details how the economy’s expected to get a jump start as those who have been stuck in the house for so long can finally venture outside. 

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The Evening Standard's learned millions of people could get free rides into London under bold plans to fight the slump caused by coronavirus. Free tickets for trains, buses and the Tube are being discussed as a radical way of getting the public to see for themselves that it is safe to go back to offices and to enjoy shops, restaurants, museums and galleries. The story was broken by our political editor Joe Murphy who says government and businesses are backing it, but they still have to work out which side's going to pay for it. 

Also, even Transport Secretary Grant Shapps thinks airport quarantine rules are confusing after some parts of the UK added Portugal and parts of Greece to their 'red lists' while England didn't. Meanwhile, with people abandoning their holidays the travel industry's being bit with another blow as Virgin Airlines announces 1,150 job losses. Travel journalist Simon Calder tells us the situation is a shambles, and predicts the entire system will be scrapped within a week. 

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Boris Johnson has pledged that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2035 – bringing the government target forward by a full five years. But on Tuesday sacked environment minister Claire O’Neil accused the Prime Minister of ‘not getting’ climate change. Can the government meet the ambitious goals outlined today? The Evening Standard’s Associate Editor Julian Glover joins The Leader podcast to explain why that might prove easier said than done.

Iowa Caucus chaos

The Iowa Caucus is billed as one of the biggest events on the Democratic Party’s White House campaign trial. It’s the first indication of who they’ll put forward to run for President. But the vote descended into shambles - with complaints over a new system being used, app technology possibly failing, and phone hotlines being jammed. The Evening Standard’s US correspondent David Gardner has been watching events unfold and joins The Leader podcast to explain what it could mean for the Dems and why Donald Trump may have cause to celebrate.

Success for Homeless Appeal

The Evening Standard’s homeless fund was launched two months ago, and is just coming to the end of its first phase – where we can reveal 900 thousand pounds has been raised. Oliver Poole has been running the campaign and joins the podcast.

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TRANSCRIPT:

David Marsland 0:00  

Thanks for listening to The Leader please subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode and share this too with anyone you think will enjoy our news commentary and analysis. Now, from the Evening Standard in London this is The Leader 

Hi I'm David Marsland, Boris Johnson's bringing forward a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles.

Boris Johnson

And let's make this year the moment when we come together with the courage and the technological ambition to solve manmade climate change and to choose a cleaner and greener future for all our children and grandchildren.

David Marsland

But he's also being accused of not getting climate change by a sacked former Environment Minister. Can the pm prove his green credentials? Also,

David Gardner 0:54  

This is a huge embarrassment for the Democratic Party. And probably one of the worst things that could have happened.

David Marsland 0:59  

Our US correspondent David Gardner on the Democratic Party's debacle in Iowa. They're supposed to be choosing their presidential candidate, was the winner Donald Trump? And:

Oliver Poole 1:09  

We were amazed by how well it went. We were very aware that the general election on and Brexit is happening. 

David Marsland 1:16  

The Evening Standard's Homeless Fund has raised 900,000 pounds. Oliver Poole tells us where the money's going and what's happening..

Taken from The Evening Standard's editorial column this is The Leader. For the whole thing pick up the newspaper or head to standard.co.uk/comment. In a moment, Boris Johnson says the world should follow the UK climate change action. The former minister says he can't be trusted 

Sir David Attenborough 1:57  

This now up...

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At the start of the year we predicted that we’d end 2019 by heading to the polls. And that’s exactly what’s going to happen on December 12th. A “culture war, already simmering here in the UK, could explode in this election” says today’s Leader.

We speak to associate editor Julian Glover about what this election will really be about. 

The Londoner editor Ayesha Hazarika talks about today’s Prime Minister’s questions, and why politics has become 'incredibly toxic'

And Deputy Political Editor Nicholas Cecil briefs us on how Trump’s upcoming visit will impact campaigning.

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The Evening Standard’s political editor, Joe Murphy, tells us why London may have turned a corner in the battle against coronavirus. We’ve learned case numbers for the infection are now falling in every one of the capital’s boroughs, in some cases up to 30 percent. But Joe also warns that, despite the good news, hospitals are still packed with record numbers of patients, and both the Health Secretary and Mayor of London are appealing for people “not to take their foot off the peddle”.

Also, we look at what the first 100 days of a Joe Biden presidency might look like. The man who beat Donald Trump will be inaugurated at a ceremony in Washington with unprecedented security, including extra vetting for the National Guard amid fears of an “insider attack.”Once he gets to the Oval Office, though, what will President Biden do?

We’re joined by Jack Kessler to look through the probable portfolio of executive orders and policy decisions that will be coming out of the White House from the very first day.  

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There are more than 30,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus around the world, but the number could much higher. Right now there’s a global race to produce a vaccine, as the death toll rises towards 700. Today’s podcast is about that effort.

Featuring contributions from the scientists leading the pack, this special episode explores where the virus came from in the first place - and the obstacles doctors will face before they can start human testing of a vaccine.

We also take a look at one unusual advantage scientists have against the virus, namely the 3,700 people trapped aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship moored off Japan. What started as a dream holiday has turned into a nightmare for thousands of passengers, but their ordeal may in fact help scientists understand the coronavirus more quickly.

Subscribe, rate and review The Leader on Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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England’s opening up its borders to double-jabbed US and EU travellers, now will other countries let our tourists in?

We speak to travel expert Paul Charles who suggests Washington’s unlikely to budge soon on its current restrictions against UK passengers as the Delta variant surges Stateside. But he suggests places like Italy and others in the EU might finally start to look more favourably on British travellers, possibly before the end of the summer. We also talk about how the new rules are going to work in the UK, and the pilot scheme at British airports that appears to have convinced the government it can be done safely.

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In today’s podcast:

This morning Transport for London stripped Uber of its licence to operate in London. The news will shock the 45,000 drivers, and the many users who rely on the service. However, TFL insists that Uber is not a fit and proper company to hold an operating licence.

The Leader podcast spoke to The Evening Standard’s City Hall editor Ross Lydall on why Uber should keep its license.

The manifestos are out. So are the candidates, pounding the streets, knocking doors, hitting phones – all to persuade people to vote for them. The Evening Standard’s Londoner editor Ayesha Hazarika and Julian Glover, our Associate Editor, join The Leader podcast to discuss how the parties are fighting for your vote, and why it is so vital that everyone registers to vote before it’s too late.

The brightest stars of the London stage gathered to celebrate the 65th Evening Standard Awards on Sunday night, with big winners including Best Actress Dame Maggie Smith and Best Actor Andrew Scott. The Evening Standard's Digital Arts editor Jessie Thompson was there for all of it and gives us her insider scoop.

****

TRANSCRIPT:

 PRESENTER: 

Thank you for listening to The Leader, we bring you commentary and analysis every weekday at 4pm. Subscribe to make sure you get it on time and you can rate us too. From the Evening Standard in London, this is The Leader

PRESENTER: 

Hi, I'm David Marsland. Transport for London has stripped Uber of its license to operate in the city. Uber has become a way of life for millions of Londoners.

ROSS LYDELL:

This is how people get about town, how they get the children about town. And I don't think this decision quite tallies that

PRESENTER: 

Our City Hall editor Ross Lydell on what that means and what happens next. The Standard calls for the service to stay on the road. Also...

AYESHA HAZARIKA:

Theresa May appears to be the Tory secret weapon. She's been there twice. She's now a celebrity who knew that

PRESENTER: 

Julian Glover and Ayesha Hazarika on how the parties are fighting for your vote as the deadline to register looms and..

SIR IAN MCKELLEN:

to the rest of you luxuriating In this magnificent Frank Maxim auditorium thanks for listening to an old boy.

PRESENTER: 

Sir Ian McKellen scooped one of the Evening Standard Theatre awards top prizes last night who else won and what was the backstage gossip.

PRESENTER: 

Taken  from the Evening Standard editorial column. This is the leader of the whole thing. Pick up the newspaper or head to standard.co.uk/comment in a moment we think Uber should keep its license to drive in London.

PRESENTER: 

As the Christmas party season approaches, it's easy to forget the was once not so long ago a world without Uber when thousands with jam the phone lines for the mini Cab closing time for can see the hefty chunk of their bank account to flag down...

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Boris Johnson's gone back to work with an attempt to seize control of the government's faltering lockdown strategy, and a warning that the UK faces its "moment of maximum risk." He appeared at the lectern outside Downing Street to ask families and businesses to be patient and not "throw away the sacrifice of the British people." But was it effective? We ask the Evening Standard's associate editor Julian Glover.

What happens in London after lockdown? The newspaper's running a series of sustained reporting looking at how the city will recover once the social isolation restrictions are lifted. The Leader podcast speaks to Lord Heseltine to get his view on how regeneration should begin, and we learn what happened when he was first told about the BSE crisis while in government. 

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The Evening Standard’s political editor Joe Murphy tells us what the government’s planning with proposed ‘quarantine hotels’. Under plans being decided by ministers over the next 24 hours, some travellers will be put on buses and driven directly to isolation centres where they’ll stay for 10 days. Joe says there are divisions within the government over how stringently the rules should be applied, with some ministers wanting a blanket ban on all countries but others arguing it should only be applied to places known to have new dangerous mutations of the virus.

It comes as Boris Johnson warns he’s concerned about as yet undiscovered “vaccine-busting” variations of Covid making their way into the UK.

Also, the Michelin Awards are being held… but why? With restaurants across the country closed because of lockdown restrictions, some are wondering if the prestigious ceremony’s been rendered pointless by the pandemic.But our chief food critic, Jimi Famurewa says the prizes could bring a welcome spotlight to a beleaguered industry.  

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The Evening Standard’s health editor Ross Lydall explains what the South African variant of coronavirus is and how the capital’s battling to contain it. Residents in a “targeted area” within SE16 in Southwark are being urged to get a test after a case of the mutation was detected there. Additional testing sites, some of them mobile, are also being rolled out in Wandsworth and Lambeth where dozens of cases of the SA variant virus have been identified.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a Wandsworth resident, is one of those who have been tested as has his Tory election rival Shaun Bailey who got a Covid vaccine in the area this week.  

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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 National Theatre artistic director Rufus Norris was appointed, he made diversity his main goal. Now he’s confirmed he’ll do another five years in the job, Evening Standard arts editor Nancy Durrant looks at whether or not he’s achieved that. We also talk about the theatre’s new season, including the return of Small Island.  

Subscribe, rate and review The Leader on Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Why are some people so badly affected by Covid-19 while others barely notice they're sick at all, and how can we use that to fight the virus? That's what teams of scientists are trying to find out as they attempt to map the genomes of 35,000 people who have been through the disease. Professor Sir Mark Caulfield, head scientist at Genomics England, tells us what they're doing and how you can get involved He also warns the UK could be just "a week to ten days" away from a second peak. 

London commuter ‘I don’t feel safe at all’ on return to work:

Buses were standing room only and some train carriages packed as people returned to work with lockdown restrictions being eased. What's it like to be one of those venturing out after weeks inside, and how safe do people really feel? We speak to Janine Lowy, an interior designer with asthma who is trying to avoid public transport, but can't get away from the traffic jams. 

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St Paul’s Cathedral is in financial dire straits, with its Dean, the Very Rev Dr David Ison, admitting “very big decisions” are needed. The nearly 400-year-old building relies on international tourists to raise the cash needed for the millions of pounds worth of renovations and repairs required to keep it open.

The Evening Standard’s arts correspondent Robert Dex says during the pandemic those visitors have not been coming, leading to a 90% drop in revenue. He argues that the building is so important to London and the United Kingdom that the government and Church of England will have to find a way to keep it open – but other landmarks will not have the same protection. 

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What is the legacy of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bomb attacks? 75 years on, survivors have contributed to an oral history of that's being exhibited at the Imperial War Museum, with a message that governments must to do more to ban nuclear weapons. We speak to nuclear strategy expert Sophie McCormack, who tells us how modern missiles are much more powerful today, and explains what could happen if one fell on London. 

Also, Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism chief has told our home affairs editor Martin Bentham how lockdown has made it harder to catch terrorists in London. Commander Richard Smith says confinement's meant people at threat of being radicalised aren't being spotted by those who could notice the change. He also reveals they're investigating 800 leads into possible plots. 

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In an exclusive interview with the Evening Standard’s new editor, Emily Sheffield, Boris Johnson warned Britain: the furlough scheme cannot go on. He said an extension to the scheme, which is keeping 9.3 million people in ‘suspended animation’, wouldn’t be healthy for the economy - or for us. But Ms. Sheffield tells The Leader podcast the PM revealed there’s more big spending to come as the country emerges from the pandemic. 

And, we introduce you to the Evening Standard’s new editor. Emily Sheffield is returning to the paper after a period as British Vogue’s deputy editor and launching female-led digital news brand ThisMuchIKnow. She says this is a period of great innovation and change and she’s here to make the most of it.

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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, Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas is You' is as much a Christmas classic as Jingle Bells, but it's never been to number 1 in the UK charts. This year, it looks like it will finally hit the top spot, but what's the story behind it. We speak to the Evening Standard's Jochan Embley who reveals the heart-breaking reason the singer loves the Festive season so much, and why the song is so important to her.

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Evening Standard columnist Ayesha Hazarika says new US vice president, Kamala Harris, “represents the two things Donald Trump hates the most: women and people of colour”. She tells the Leader podcast, the Trump administration was “founded on racism” and Ms Harris’s arrival at the White House is “karmic justice” for four years of turbulence.

It comes as Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States at a ceremony in Washington. But how will he work with a woman who attacked him, including over issues of race, when she was an opponent in his run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination?

Ayesha believes it was Ms Harris’s strength in those debates that most impressed Mr Biden, and the two of them have their work cut out to restore faith in the United States across the globe.

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There are concerns US police tactics against George Floyd protesters is increasing the risk of coronavirus infecting demonstrators. The use of tear gas on mass gatherings is being highlighted, because it causes coughing which can spread the bug. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's threatening to send the army into cities to "dominate the streets". Evening Standard columnist Philip Delves Broughton is in New York, where the Governor's warning people to take care, but not stop protesting. 

Public Health England has published a review which has confirmed that black, Asian and minority ethnic people are more likely to die from Covid-19. It found that those of Bangladeshi ethnicity had around twice the risk of death than those from a white British background. We speak to Dr Chandra Kenneganti, chair of the British International Doctors Association, who tells us the figures only confirm what they already knew, and what's needed is swift action. 

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Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave has promised Scotland Yard's dedication to the people of London is "undiminished" after it was confirmed Sarah Everard's body had been identified. The Evening Standard's home affairs editor, Martin Bentham, tells us detectives are now trawling through the background of a serving firearms officer who has been arrested on suspicion of the 33-year-old's murder. He also says the Met is facing five investigations by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, including one looking at whether an opportunity to arrest the officer earlier for a different alleged offence was missed. 

And, our city hall editor Ross Lydall joins us to talk about his meeting with London Mayoral candidate Laurence Fox. The actor and "anti-woke" campaigner has sparked a backlash after saying that Britons had a “sovereign choice” to decide whether or not to get vaccinated.

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GCSE and A-level pupils are celebrating record grades, but half a million BTec students are still awaiting results and thousands of young people remain in the dark over places at sixth forms and universities. The Evening Standard's education editor Anna Davis says it'll be at least until next week before the results fiasco starts to clear up. Meanwhile, teachers have been telling her they just want to make sure the schools can re-open in September so none of their pupils have to go through this again. 

And, live theatre has returned to London with the first performance of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park. In his review for the Evening Standard, our critic Nick Curtis says it felt like the "blood was flowing back into the capital's cultural veins". He joins the podcast to reveal what it's like sitting in an audience again, but warns other shows will still be impossible to put on while social distancing restrictions are in place. 

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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 how long can Britain keep the bug at bay? The Evening Standard's health editor Ross Lydall and consumer editor Jonathan Prynn talk to the Leader podcast about the impact and continuing threat of the infection.

Bernie Sanders wins in Nevada

After victory in Nevada is Bernie Sanders now the Democrat’s man to take on Donald Trump for the White House? There’s a long way to go yet, and he’ll have to charm a lot of sceptics in other States. With Super Tuesday on the horizon, our US correspondent David Gardner assesses the Vermont senator's chances.

Hilary Mantel has finished the Cromwell Trilogy

Hilary Mantel's final novel in her Cromwell Trilogy, 'The Mirror and the Light', is released next week, but Evening Standard critic Melanie McDonagh's already raced through her review copy. It's 854 pages long, but is it a fitting end to one of modern literature's greatest series?

Keep up to date with our audio news bulletins – they’re available every weekday through your smartspeaker. Just ask for the news from the Evening Standard.

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The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock’s written in the Evening Standard to 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 newspaper’s comment editor Susannah Butter talks to the podcast about what the government’s doing, and how far it can go. 

Super Tuesday 2020

They call it “Super Tuesday” – when Democrats from 14 states across America will vote for who they want to take on President Trump. Apart from the election itself in November, this is the biggest night in US politics this year. Pete Buttigieg didn’t last the distance, dropping out on Sunday, leaving candidates including Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Mike Bloomberg and four others scrambling to pick up votes. Our US correspondent David Gardner’s been analysing the stats and tries to predict the outcome.

Subscribe, rate and review The Leader on Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Thousands of people have been flocking to travel agents and airlines after the UK government lifted red list restrictions on all but seven countries. We speak to our political editor Nicholas Cecil who tells us that one travel agent says enquiries are up 400% as the country leaps on the opportunity to take a foreign break. He also tells us about the new testing rules that are being brought in, which should make it far cheaper to take a holiday.

We’re also joined by travel expert Paul Charles, of the PC Agency, who tells us the industry is hoping that testing and the red list itself could soon be on the way out. He also gives his advice on how to book a holiday in a post-Covid world.

For more tips and destination guides, head to the Evening Standard’s travel pages.

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Dany Cotton's departure:

London’s Fire Commissioner, Dany Cotton has been forced out of service by Mayor Sadiq Khan over her “insensitive” response to the tragedy in which 72 people who died. The Evening Standard’s Ross Lydall broke the story and spoke to The Leader podcast about the meeting with Grenfell families that forced the Mayor to act.

Tackling extremism:

The Evening Standard has been investigating measures to prevent extremism in the UK following the London Bridge attack last week. The dreadful attack has prompted a fierce debate about sentencing - but should there be more of a priority on tackling the problem at its root? Our Home Affairs editor Martin Bentham told the Leader podcast about his special report.

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Are we heading for another Roaring Twenties? After a year in lockdown, it appears the UK has saved quite a lot of money and now the Evening Standard’s Jonathan Prynn says we’re being encouraged to spend it. 

Official figures reveal an unprecedented scale of cash piles have been put aside by households while “non-essential” shops, restaurants and bars remained closed for months and foreign holidays had to be put on hold. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the savings ratio — the proportion of disposable income put aside for a rainy day — rose from 14.3 per cent to 16.1 per cent in the last three months of 2020.

For the year as a whole, the savings ratio — which peaked in the first lockdown last spring — rose from 6.8 per cent in 2019 to a record 16.3 per cent. But will this new nation of savers want to give up its cash for the sake of the country’s economy?

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The Covid vaccine being made by Oxford university is safe and works well in older adults most likely to become seriously ill or die from the virus, its creators revealed today. In another major boost for hopes of bringing the pandemic to heel, they said the preliminary results for the UK’s main vaccine hope were “encouraging”. Our health editor Ross Lydall says there's optimism it will lead to elderly people currently forced to shelter finally getting to see their families again. He also says the injection seems to hurt older people less than younger ones. 

And, we speak to tech reviewer Tomi Adebayo - Gadgetsboy - about the new PS5 which has finally hit the shops, with the rush so great some stores saw their websites crash. He tells us how the new console is a huge leap in graphics, but you might have to shell out a small fortune on a TV to see all their benefits. 

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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 who remained open following the Prime Minister’s announcement.

2020 Olympics cancelled

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been postponed due to Covid-19 - the first time in Olympic history that the games have been delayed. With more than 600,000 expected to travel to the games, organisers agree it wouldn't be safe. Sports correspondent Matt Majendie joins The Leader podcast and talks about the enormous logistical challenges the Olympic committee - and hopeful athletes - now face. 

Keep fit with Joe Wicks

Every morning at 9am Joe Wicks is providing free home work-outs, live-streamed via social media. Joe cancelled a physical tour due to coronavirus, but the livestreams have been so popular that he broke his own Instagram channel from the sheer amount of people tuning in. Does this open the way for more lockdown stars? The Evening Standard’s features writer Katie Strick interviewed the nation’s new favourite PE teacher, and joins The Leader podcast to share what she learned.

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The top speechwriter for the Obama administration, Cody Keenan, says he would give Amanda Gorman a job at the White House after astonishing the world with her inauguration poem.The 22-year-old’s “The Hill We Climb” was a highlight of the ceremony marking the start of Joe Biden’s presidency, and has been hailed by critics for its themes of unity and togetherness. The advisor, who was director of speechwriting at the White House between 2013 and 2017, also gives us a behind the scenes glimpse of how to write a great political speech.

Also, The Hill’s Capitol reporter, Juliegrace Brufke, joins us to discuss a lightning fast first day at the Oval Office with 17 executive orders dispatched from the Resolute Desk.

Joe Biden’s already begun dismantling his predecessor’s work, signing off on the US re-joining the Paris climate change agreement, and halting construction of a wall on the border with Mexico.

But will the pace slow down as the White House slogs through what it calls “four converging crises:” the Covid-19 pandemic, an economic crisis, climate change, and racial inequality?

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Mouthwash can kill coronavirus within 30 seconds of being exposed to it in a laboratory, a scientific study has found. The preliminary result comes ahead of a clinical trial into whether using over-the-counter mouthwash could to reduce the levels of Covid-19 in a patient's saliva. We speak to Professor Damien Walmsley, from the British Dental Association, who says the latest research from Cardiff University now joins a growing body of evidence that mouthwash can kill coronavirus. He explains how it works, and why the government should include dental hygiene in its anti-Covid messaging. 

Also, Barack Obama's revealed the 'Presidential Playlist' he says he used to get him through his time in the Oval Office. With tracks like Aretha Franklin's 'The Weight' and BB King's 'The Thrill is Gone' has he revealed what it's really like to be President? We talk to Professor John Street who has written a book on the connection between music and politics. He tells us how global leaders use their favourite tunes to help shape their public brand, and has anything like that Love Actually scene with Hugh Grant dancing in Downing Street ever really happened? 

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The Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, shortage is a massive crisis affecting our entire NHS, and care providers. In this special edition of the Leader: Coronavirus Daily, we’ve spoken to some of a small but growing army of volunteers who are using 3D printers to do what they can to help out.

As the Government drafts in the London Fire Brigade to deliver PPE to NHS workers, and the government wrestles to get a shipment of masks delivered from Turkey, a group of design and technology teachers are going back into their schools to fire up 3D printers and create PPE for medical staff.

They’re co-ordinated by weeks-old groups such as 3DCrowdUK. Using their website individuals can registering requests for equipment, which will then get made by independent printers and shipped to NHS trusts. 

Elsewhere, private care providers are facing their own shortages and say they are being forced to compete against the NHS for vital equipment. One provider’s solution: to create their own supply chain using an independent network of volunteer makers.

This is a story of the heroes rising to meet a vital need in dangerous times.

To sign up as a volunteer, or to register a request for PPE, visit 3Dcrowd.uk

To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/3dcrowd-emergency-3d-printed-face-shields

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James Olley our chief football correspondent witnessed the racism during last night’s football match between England and Bulgaria. He joins The Leader podcast on the phone from Sofia to discuss how UEFA can send a strong message to racist fans.

Joe Murphy our Political Editor tells us about the new Environment Bill, which promises a green UK after Brexit.

And finally, we celebrate 750 years of London’s most extraordinary building, Westminster Abbey.

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If life in London is getting you down then you aren’t alone, according to data published today by the Office of National Statistics. The study shows that Londoners are some of the most unhappy people in the country… although we are slowly getting happier. Jonathan Prynn our business editor joins us in the studio to discuss the research in more detail.

Tutankhamun is visiting London for the first time in more than a decade, in an exhibit at the Saatchi Gallery. The Evening Standard thinks it’s an unmissable show, so for a sneak peek we speak to the exhibition curator Tarek El Awady and the Evening Standard’s Nick Curtis. 

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Iran has launched rocket attacks on two Iraqi bases housing US troops. The missile strikes came in retaliation to the US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Iran’s supreme leader has said the missile attack was “not enough”. As tensions continue to rise between the two nations, The Leader podcast speaks to the Evening Standard’s Defence editor Robert Fox.

£1 million grant to cut school exclusions: 

To coincide with an in-depth investigation into secondary school exclusions, looking into the best way to improve grades and help curve sustained bad behaviour, the Evening Standard are launching a £1 million campaign to radically cut exclusions. Eliza Reberio founded the Lives not Knives campaign aimed at tackling youth crime and gang culture. Eliza was sent to a Pupil Refferal Unit when she was younger and tells The Leader podcast why teens are most likely behaving badly in school and why they need better support.

Subscribe to find us from 4pm every week day.

TRANSCRIPT:

David Marsland  

Welcome to The Leader of the Evening Standard's daily news commentary and analysis podcast. We're here at 4pm, make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing. now, from the Evening Standard in London. This is The Leader.

Hi, I'm David Marsland. Iran battered two US military bases in Iraq with at least 15 ballistic missiles, is war next?

Robert Fox  

What the Iranians are fervently hoping for is a pause because the real unknown for them is Trump and Trumps total unpredictability

David Marsland  

Our deffence editor Robert Fox as the Middle East and the world is waiting for the US to respond. Also,

Eliza Reberio  

if this happened when they were eight, nine and 10, why are we then waiting for when they're 14/15 to be excluded from school for us to support them?

David Marsland  

We talked to a young woman whose life was nearly ruined after being kicked out of school. As the Evening Standard launches a million pound campaign to cut exclusions.

Taken from the Evening Standard editorial column This is The Leader, for the whole thing pick up the newspaper or head to standard.co.uk/comment. In a moment defence editor Robert Fox on the crisis in Iran...

For half an hour from around 1030 at night Iran pounded two US bases in Iraq with ballistic missiles. Revenge said the country state TV for the White House ordered killing of General Qassem Soleimani. In Tehan crowds chanting God is great and death to America. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suggested Iran was just getting started. [Clip], David: Last night we slapped them, he said, and added these military actions are not enough for revenge.

Boris Johnson  

Our most reasonable people would accept that the United States has a right to protect its bases and its personnel. 

In the House of Commons Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave her support to the US, but called for de escalation in the Middle East. And for all the Ayatollah's tough words, there are some who believe a targeted strike that appears to have killed new...

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25 foreign national offenders are still in the UK after being pulled from a deportation flight that was supposed to take them to Jamaica. The Evening Standard's Home Affairs Editor Martin Bentham explains how a legal row over mobile phones led to the Court of Appeal ruling the convicted prisoners had to stay. Also, it's over budget and behind schedule but HS2 has finally been given the go ahead by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and the Evening Standard is backing him. And, ahead of the New Hampshire Democratic Party primary, features writer Sam Fishwick's been looking at Pete Buttigieg's time at Oxford University, including how he allegedly snuck onto a north sea freighter to do his coursework in peace.

Subscribe, rate and review The Leader on Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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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 most dramatic political come-backs in recent history. Written off just a few days ago, the former vice president enjoyed huge victories, including taking Elizabeth Warren’s home state Massachusetts. It now looks like a two horse race between the former vice-president and Bernie Sanders. But is Mr Biden really the Democrats’ best hope of beating Donald Trump in November? The Leader podcast speaks to the Evening Standard’s US correspondent, David Gardner.

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There are two major events taking place on Wednesday that will both contribute to the survival of the culture industries once lockdown is over. The first is an expected £400m budget announcement by chancellor Rishi Sunak, which will see even more money invested into the Culture Recovery Fund, along with cash for museums and venues to stay afloat until they can re-open in May. 

In the evening, the Evening Standard will be revealing the first recipients of the Future Theatre Fund which was created in association with Tik Tok and in partnership with the National Youth Theatre. 12 up-and-coming talents will receive £10,000 each. The NYT's chief executive and artistic director Paul Roseby joins the podcast to talk about how theatres have been navigating the pandemic, and how important it is that young people who have lost so many opportunities for stage work need to be supported. 

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Today Transport for London announced that Crossrail will not open until 2021. The line should have opened last December. TFL have admitted that the final cost of the project could be £18.5 billion. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has was said to be “deeply frustrated”

We speak to Joanna Bourke from the business desk about the many businesses banking on Crossrail that are understandably angry, and how much this delay will cost them.

We also spoke to City Hall editor Ross Lydall about the delay and what this means for commuters.

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The boss of Easyjet, Johan Lundgren, sits down with the Evening Standard's Susannah Butter to explain how he thinks the UK's airlines can get off the ground again after nearly a year of pandemic restrictions. Right now, it's far from clear whether people will be allowed to travel this summer, and Mr Lundgren is calling for clarity on how lockdown will be lifted, saying that there is a "pent up demand" for people to get on flights abroad again. They also discuss vaccine passports, which he doesn't think "should be mandated". 

 And he talks about the future of flight, describing how battery powered planes are already powerful enough to cover 2,000km, which would be 80% of Easyjet's network in Europe. 

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The government's describing how the new lockdown system will work, with areas being placed under three different types of restrictions. Our deputy political editor, Nicholas Cecil, tells us how the rules will operate and why some leaders in the north think they favour the south. He also reveals that a worrying rise in coronavirus cases in London means the city is likely to be put under Tier 2 limits, and why those will be imposed across the capital despite varying infection rates in different boroughs. 

Also, #Fatima has been trending after many working in the arts took offence to an advert encouraging a ballet dancer to retrain in cyber security. It's overshadowed the government launching its £1.57bn Cultural Recovery Fund, and reinforced concerns among some in the industry that their livelihoods aren't being taken seriously. The Evening Standard's Hattie Brewis explains how the advert was created in the first place, and why both the culture secretary and Prime Minister have condemned it as "crass" and "unacceptable".

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Thirty-five years after the world’s worst nuclear disaster at Chernobyl - or Chornobyl in Ukrainian - Professor Tom Scott, a nuclear expert at the University of Bristol and Royal Academy research fellow, is using robo dogs to help local scientists decommission the exploded reactor entombed in a decaying “sarcophagus”.

A sarcophagus is the size of a small cathedral and was built over Reactor 4 following the 1986 explosion to contain radioactive lava, contaminated soil and debris from the blast - but the construction materials meant it would only last a couple of decades, and the roof sprung a leak.

So in 2019, construction of a giant hanger-like arch was completed over both the reactor and sarcophagus to encase everything for a century so dismantling and clean-up of waste from the reactor’s remains could continue.

Hear the story of how Professor Scott’s team is using camera-equipped robotic dogs to 3D-map parts of Chornobyl too dangerous for humans due to intense radiation. 

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