The Standard

The Evening Standard's political editor, Nicholas Cecil, tells us how the response to 'Freedom Day' has been more muted than ministers expected. Although nightclubs opened up at one minute past midnight, when most social distancing restrictions were lifted, a mass return to work hasn't happened.  Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's being criticised for initially not self-isolating following Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirming he has coronavirus. And some experts are warning of the "biggest wave yet" of Covid-19 being just around the corner.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Health editor Ross Lydall tells us why health chiefs in London are so concerned about the lack of young people coming forward to get the coronavirus vaccine.With ‘Freedom Day’ approaching, an enormous effort’s underway to encourage older teens and twentysomethings including the Tate giving up its Turbine Hall for a vaccine event with a DJ.It comes as Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty says the pandemic is far from over, and the country could get into “a lot of trouble very quickly” if people don’t take care as lockdown is lifted.A further 48,553 confirmed Covid cases were announced on Thursday, including 5,743 in London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s Jack Kessler tells the podcast why Transport for London fares are set to rise by around 5 percent from January, and what that could mean for efforts to bring people back to the city centre.Normally TfL fares are set each year by the Mayor. But the terms of its third bail-out, agreed by Sadiq Khan with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in May, state: “TfL will continue with its existing plan to increase fares in line with their business planning assumption of an overall fares increase of RPI+ one per cent on fares under the Mayor’s control in January 2022.”Jack says some experts believe it will put people off returning to the commute, a bill many haven’t had to pay since the pandemic began last year – but there’s little chance of a u-turn.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you need to wear a face mask on a train in London or not from July 19th? Our city hall editor, Ross Lydall, says it depends on what train you’re on and even which station you’re arriving at.The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is changing the conditions of carriage for TfL services that will make a covering mandatory. But he doesn’t have the power to enforce that on other operators running services into the capital.Meanwhile, it’s emerged the new rule could also be flouted as it is a condition of travel but will not be enforced by police unless Mr Khan introduces a by-law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s Nicholas Cecil joins the show as the Prime Minister is criticised by scientists over ‘mixed messages’ ahead of lockdown restrictions being lifted. Boris Johnson’s ditching mandatory face coverings on public transport and in enclosed public spaces, but telling the public he ‘expects’ them to wear them anyway. Meanwhile, some nightclub owners are flatly refusing to ask customers to show ‘covid passports’ before they’ll let them in, despite government advice to do so. Nicholas says leading scientists fear the dangers of Covid-19 will spiralling “out of control” with a third wave peak which could last six weeks – but he’s not expecting the government to change course.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Home Affairs editor Martin Bentham joins the show to explain how new powers to stop children as young as 12 will work. They’ve been announced by Home Secretary Priti Patel and will allow the courts to ban children from having knives and impose restrictions on their movements and use of social media. Ignoring an order could carry a sentence of up to two years, but critics says the use of the power on those with no convictions will risk criminalising young people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ross Lydall takes us 42 metres underground as TfL unveils its gigantic new Crossrail station beneath Liverpool Street Station.We also hear from London Underground’s MD Andy Lord and Crossrail’s Chief Executive Mark Wild who tell us how the huge engineering project was completed, and when it might be opening.And Ross reveals plans to minimise the cost of using the line to get to and from Heathrow, with airport passengers benefitting from fare capping if they make additional journeys on the Tfl network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard's political editor Joe Murphy tells us what's happening now 'freedom day' looks set for July 19th. There's already a row over the use of face masks with the legal requirement to wear them being lifted, despite doctors saying it "makes no sense"? The Mayor of London's also opposed and could insist on their use on public transport, but Joe tells us why he's not likely to do that. Also, whatever happened to 'Covid passports'? At one point the idea of being able to prove you're double-jabbed or infection free seemed popular but appears to have drifted away. Joe says they may yet make comeback when winter arrives and infection rates start to go up.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our political reporter Sophia Sleigh examines the fallout from Labour’s narrow victory in the Batley and Spen by-election. The party threw everything it had into holding onto the seat, with rumours Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership was at risk. But even he admits they secured the win by just 323 votes because some traditional Conservative supporters switched sides. Is that because of the resignation of former Health Secretary Matt Hancock? Sophia looks at the evidence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Evening Standard health editor Ross Lydall speaks to the Mayor of London who says “remarkable” progress with the vaccine roll-out has put London in prime position to reopen safely on July 1. Official NHS England figures suggest that, at current rates of 42,000 jabs a day, London could fall short of the Prime Minister’s national target by about 1.5m jabs. But Mr Khan’s insisting the official tally of 8.7m first and second jabs by the end of Tuesday was an under-estimate due to “data lag”. And he says London’s performance should be judged against cities such as New York, which have similar challenges in terms of vaccinating a younger, more diverse population. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s revealed health workers and volunteers on the front line of the vaccine roll-out in London are being physically and verbally abused by anti-vaxxers.Council leaders and the capital’s top nurse shared details of a number of incidents in the wake of the attack on Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, at the weekend.Our health editor Ross Lydall says these range from vaccine buses being targeted by anti-jab protesters to online abuse and threatening calls to council call centres.He also says he’s heard claims of protesters pretending to be going for a vaccine, and then harassing staff inside centres.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political editor Joe Murphy joins the show to look into the questions mounting following the resignation of Matt Hancock as health secretary.He tells us senior Conservative and Labour MPs are calling for answers over how often Mr Hancock used a private email account, and whether he used it to discuss NHS business with family members and a friend who went on to win public sector contracts.And he says the heat’s also turning on the Prime Minister, as MPs on all sides protest that Downing Street is failing to uphold high standards in public officer, or discipline senior ministers who fall short.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Health editor Ross Lydall says a huge effort’s underway this weekend to get more Londoners vaccinated, especially younger adults.About 1.8m first doses and 1.2m second doses have to be administered over the next three-and-a-half weeks to bring London in line with the Government’s targets to lift lockdown on July 19.Boris Johnson wants all people over 18 to have been offered a first jab and for two-thirds of adults to have been “double jabbed” to maximise safety. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Compulsory mask-wearing in England will be ditched within weeks but the Evening Standard’s deputy political editor, Nicholas Cecil, says you may want to hold onto one for a while yet.Environment Secretary George Eustice says the Government’s aiming to remove the legal requirement to wear a face-covering in many indoor public places on July 19.But he’s conceding that the Tube may be one area where people may need to continue wearing one, saying “a judgement will be made at the time”.Nicholas tells us the London mayor’s advocating a cautious approach.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re joined by the CEO of PinkNews, Benjamin Cohen, to talk about Alan Turing appearing on the Bank of England’s new £50 note.The scientist and wartime code-cracker is the first LGBT+ person to ever be given the honour, and he’s also being remembered at GCHQ with a giant artwork. It’s a huge turnaround for the reputation of a man who despite being a hero of the Second World War was prosecuted in the 1950s for his sexuality and died at the age of 41 with cyanide poisoning.But while supporting the symbolism of the move, Benjamin asks how powerful it can be with so few people using cash – and even fewer having £50 notes? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travel consultant Paul Charles joins the podcast to discuss reports that the government’s considering giving double-vaccinated Britons the go-ahead for summer holidays in Mediterranean resorts without having to quarantine on their return.The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, says he wants to relax the restrictions on foreign travel, with millions of people still eager to head abroad to “amber” list countries.But Paul says the travel industry is losing trust in Downing Street after a series of delays and decisions affecting people taking foreign trips. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil tells us how health secretary Matt Hancock has raised the hopes of people who have had two doses of a Covid vaccine. He says wants to see a new system where the double-jabbed won't have to self-isolate if they've come into contact with a coronavirus carrier.  It comes amid suggestions that the government might bring so-called 'Freedom Day' forward, having postponed it until July 19th. It could help many struggling businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, but Nicholas says it's unlikely to happen.  Meanwhile, a further 886 Covid cases were announced for the capital on Sunday, down on figures of more than 1,000 in recent days. Nine boroughs saw their seven-day Covid rate go above 100 new infections per 100,000 in the week to June 15. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil explains why Uefa is threatening to take the Euro 2020 out of the UK.The British government’s in talks with football’s governing body which wants 2,500 delegates to be allowed to fly into the country for the showcase without having to quarantine.Nicholas says a move like that would likely annoy thousands of Brits who haven’t been able to go abroad for a holiday this year, and alarm some health experts who fear a coronavirus spike.We also talk about London’s vaccine ‘Super Saturday’ with thousands of young adults in the city being urged to get vaccinated.It follows figures showing the capital lags behind the rest in the country for people getting the jab.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s a lot of talk about how vaccines are going to end this global pandemic that we’re embroiled in – but is that true? In today’s episode Dr. David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy on Covid-19, spoke to Rosalind Russel who is leading the Evening Standard’s Vaccine for the World project. The project is designed to highlight the challenges and solutions for the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. David Nabarro tells us that the bug has a game plan, and it’s going to be around years to come. He also believes vaccines are just one part of an arsenal that has to be deployed, and the focus should really be on extinguishing outbreaks where they occur. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The mayor of London took a walk through the city centre with the Evening Standard’s health editor Ross Lydall and discussed the urgency behind getting more people in the capital vaccinated.A total of 3.62 million more doses are needed in London by the new “lockdown release” day of July 19 under Boris Johnson’s aim of offering the vaccine to all people over 18 while ensuring two-thirds are “double jabbed”.A total of 51,892 first and second doses were given in London on Monday – but this needs to double to at least 100,000 a day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s Jonathan Prynn joins us to discuss the economic impact of pushing back ‘Freedom day’ by four weeks.He’s been speaking to hoteliers, restauranteurs and pub landlords who fear the delay will be the final nail in the coffin for businesses that have barely survived the pandemic.They’re calling for more help from the government, but at the moment it doesn’t look like any new or extended support is on the horizon.Meanwhile, with the sun shining and the Euro 2020 competition underway some bar operators can only look on as they see thousands of pounds worth of trade pass them by.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janine Chamberlin, LinkedIn’s UK country manager, tells us how users of the website have changed their behaviour and attitudes over the course of Britain’s lockdown. In a fascinating interview, she tells us which sectors were hardest hit by the restrictions and what they did to recover.She also reveals how the “stigma of unemployment” has been banished as thousands of people found themselves out of a job and looking for help to get a new one. And she reveals that words such as “remote work” are appearing more and more in job adverts, as the daily commute appears to be on the way out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK and US are to donate more than 600 million Covid-19 vaccine donations between them as part of global efforts to control the pandemic.In this special report, we speak to doctors and other leading experts around the world to look at what kind of an impact that will make.The donations come as African countries face a severe shortage of vaccines for their populations, with medics concerned a third wave will overwhelm hospitals across the continent.We also look at the Evening Standard’s Vaccine for the World project which is highlighting some of the enormous efforts being made to get injections to some of the hardest to reach places on Earth.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson’s meeting Joe Biden face-to-face for the first time since the US election as the G7 summit gets underway in Cornwall. The two have much to discuss, and disagree and several areas, but they’re united in their vows to tackle climate change. For the Leader podcast, we’re joined by Nick Mabey who is the chief executive of climate change think tank E3G, an advisor to London mayor Sadiq Khan and a former advisor to the Blair government.He tells us what’s likely to be on the world leaders’ agenda, and how it will affect relations with other countries such as China and Russia.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s royal editor, Robert Jobson, tells us what’s been happening at Buckingham Palace and in LA as Harry and Meghan threaten legal action over a story about their daughter’s name. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are hitting back at claims they had not asked the Queen before naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour.A fresh war of words between the couple and the BBC broke out after the corporation quoted a senior Buckingham Palace source saying the monarch was “never asked” about its use.A spokeswoman for Harry and Meghan, now based in California, said: “The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called.“During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A cabinet minister’s advising people to “holiday at home,” following the rush to get Brits back from Portugal when that country was downgraded to amber from the UK’s green list.Environment secretary George Eustace says he won’t be leaving the country for a break this summer and he doesn’t expect many others will either.But our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says that’s not official government advice, with Number 10 insisting people are free to travel to green list countries.Nicholas also talks about the extra measures being put in place to tackle the Delta variant of Covid-19 in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As our exclusive poll shows the public wants the coronavirus inquiry to start early, we speak to our political editor Joe Murphy and ask if the chaos in Portugal’s airports will add to the pressure. He tells us that anything that increases people’s “sense of unfairness or resentment” could turn into pressure “in multiple ways” including demands for that inquiry to start this year.Currently, it’s set to launch in Spring next year and not deliver its findings until after the next general election. But just 17 per cent of people support that according to researchers at Ipsos MORI for the Evening Standard.Meanwhile, Brits desperate to escape Portugal before an amber list deadline have spoken of carnage at airports. Confused holidaymakers, desperate to get home ahead of the deadline of 4am Tuesday, were met by two-hour-long queues at Faro Airport.Ipsos MORI interviewed 1002 adults across GB by phone, from May 28 to June 3. Data are weighted. Details at www.ipsos-mori.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Securing the future sources of our food, especially in cities, sprouts some critical issues: cost, pesticides, genetically modified crops, delivery miles and ensuring children can access nutritious, fresh fruit and vegetables.During lockdown, a trip to the farm seemed a flight of fancy for many city-dwellers, and a team of volunteers at the Felix Project is helping deliver farms’ surplus to charities and schools to provide healthy meals to those who need it.We spoke Marcus Roberts, relationship manager at the Felix Project about their work getting fresh produce from field to table in quick time, and also visited one exciting London agri-startup hoping to achieve all of this - it’s a new ‘urban’ farm called Sitopia.Chloë Dunnett, founder and chief grower, tells us how volunteers at their organic meadow and poly tunnels on the site of the huge Woodlands Farm Trust in Shooters Hill, south-east London, are getting ready for their first harvest after a stellar crowdfunding campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On March 12th 2020, the cast and crew of Six were preparing to debut their West End smash on the Broadway stage: then the New York governor closed all the theatres to stop the spread of Covid. Now, the show’s made a triumphant return to the Lyric Theatre in London, with plans to re-open in the Big Apple in September. Co-writer/director Lucy Moss joins the show to tell us what it’s like to make a comeback in a pandemic, and how they’re determined to keep performing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Biden is heading to the UK next week for the G7 conference, in his first foreign trip since becoming President. Boris Johnson was the first person Mr Biden called when he picked up the keys to the White House, but there have been questions over whether the US/UK relationship is under strain. Controversies include Brexit, Boris Johnson’s support of Donald Trump, and the now Prime Minister’s comments about Barack Obama being “part-Kenyan” in 2016. But UCL expert in international politics Dr Julie Norman says the two leaders do have a lot in common and the summit at Carbis Bay is a chance for them to reforge the “special relationship”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Channel 5’s new Anne Boleyn drama’s launching with black actor Jodie Turner-Smith playing the doomed second wide of Henry VIII.It’s another example of colour-blind casting in period dramas, following Bridgerton and the Great, but this time the character is a real, very well known, person. The Evening Standard’s Katie Rosseinsky tells us why producers are increasingly hiring diverse casts for historical pieces, and why audiences appear to be supporting their choices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A leading scientist has told the Evening Standard people should enjoy “life that looks vaguely normal” this weekend as temperatures rise for the bank holiday. Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University, says he’s confident vaccines are working against the Indian variant of Covid-19, but is warning people to remain cautious.That would lead to the government being able to lift final lockdown restrictions on June 21st, but the British Beer and Pub Association fears many of its members won’t make it.With some restrictions still in place, around 2,000 bars have not been able to re-open. It’s predicted around half of the number of pints expected to be sold this weekend will actually be served.The Association’s chief executive, Emma McClarkin, joins the podcast to tell us why even with the sun coming out this spring bank holiday may leave some publicans with nothing to celebrate.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil joins the show to look at the impact of Dominic Cummings’ appearance before MPs on the health and science select committees. The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has hit back against the former No10 senior adviser who on Wednesday delivered a devastating verdict on the Government’s handling of the pandemic.Boris Johnson, who faced claims that he was unfit for office, denied Mr Cummings’ assertion that Government failings had resulted in tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths. But Nicholas tells us two of Britain’s leading coronavirus experts, Professor Neil Ferguson and Professor John Edmunds, backed up Mr Cummings’s central charge against the Government, that delays over imposing lockdowns were partly to blame for the high death toll. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Evening Standard columnist Ayesha Hazarika discusses Dominic Cumming’s extraordinary evidence to MPs on the Commons Health and Science committees.The former advisor to Boris Johnson claims the Prime Minister offered to be injected with coronavirus on TV to show how it was harmless and got distracted by his fiancée “going crackers” over a newspaper story about their dog. He also says Health Secretary Matt Hancock should have been sacked for “lying to everybody in multiple occasions, in meeting after meeting in the Cabinet room and publicly.” Ayesha says Mr Cummings’ allegations are “more than just bad blood and revenge” for being sacked and merit further investigation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Cabinet minister has told people “don’t travel to and from Hounslow” and seven other areas in England - unless it is an essential journey - to stop the spread of the Indian Covid-19 variant. Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey also appeared to suggest people living in the borough should consider whether a half-term holiday abroad "really is essential".  The Evening Standard's deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says the government guidance has come as a surprise to the local council and health chiefs, who say it's adding to confusion around lockdown restrictions. He also tells us Sadiq Khan has asked whether advice not to travel to and from Hounslow apart from essential journeys could have an impact on Heathrow airport.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government doesn't want people going to Spain on holiday, but figures obtained by the Evening Standard suggests they are anyway. Jonathan Prynn tells us how bookings for flights to the popular destination have rocketed even though it's still on the amber list. It follows Spain officially lifting restrictions for UK travellers, with visitors no longer needing to take a PCR Covid-19 test. Infection and death rates in Spain have fallen recently after a six month state of emergency, which was lifted in early May. But restrictions remain in place, including legally being required to wear masks on the beach. Jonathan tells us anyone taking a holiday there may find it's not the experience they expected.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s Royal Editor Robert Jobson tells us about the reaction inside Buckingham Palace following a report that found Princess Diana’s 1995 Panorama interview was obtained through “deceit”.He explains why it was Prince William who recorded the royal family’s statement on the Dyson inquiry, and not his father Prince Charles. But Robert also tells us he disagrees with William over the “legitimacy” of the interview, arguing Princess Diana knew what she was saying and banning it from ever being shown again would “silence her”.The report found Journalist Martin Bashir, who carried out the interview, was in “serious breach” of the BBC’s producer guidelines by obtaining faked bank statements and showing them to Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother, to gain access to the princess.Mr Bashir has apologised for faking the documents and said it was “an action I deeply regret”, but maintains it had “no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview”.Also, Lizzie Edmonds looks at Prince Harry’s new documentary series with Oprah Winfrey, The Me You Can’t See. He’s using it to highlight mental health issues, but he’s making more revelations about life as a royal.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travel journalist Simon Calder joins us from Clapham Junction to break down how a massive overhaul of train services will affect commuters and travellers. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced a new publicly-owned body, Great British Railways, which will bring trains and track under one roof, set prices and mark the end of the franchise system.Simon tells us the new system should see action taken against delays, but he thinks ticket prices are “very unlikely” to come down because of the way it’s being set up. He also talks about a possible review of the foreign travel traffic light system which has relatively few countries on the green list, and unclear advice about whether people should go to places on the amber one.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s political editor Joe Murphy tries to explain the government’s conflicting advice over countries on the coronavirus amber list. Some ministers say you shouldn’t go to them for holidays, while others say it’s more of a guideline than a rule. Meanwhile, thousands of people are snapping up bargain flights to places like Greece, which is on the amber list.Also, arts correspondent Rob Dex tells us how the Evening Standard has joined forces with Netflix to launch a storytelling festival and give a new generation the chance to find their voice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deputy Political editor Nicholas Cecil joins the show as it’s confirmed four people in the UK who had the Indian variant of Covid-19 have since died. He discusses how concerned public officials are about the bug which appears to be capable of spreading faster than the Kent mutation which fuelled the second wave in Britain. We also look ahead to the planned next stage of the re-opening of the country, with people allowed to drink inside pubs and many theatres re-opening. Will a surge of Indian variant cases put that at risk? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showbiz reporter Lizzie Edmonds was among the 4,000 to be at the Brit Awards, the biggest live event since the pandemic began. She tells us how organisers managed to get so many people into the O2 arena safely, and the exhilaration of seeing real performers on a stage again. We also talk about the on-stage calls for more support for NHS workers, and was it a good idea to open the largest “live” music event since the pandemic with a Coldplay video? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s Jack Kessler breaks down the Queen’s Speech from tax rises for the better off to those controversial voter ID plans. What does the government actually mean by “level up” and will it hit cities like London in favour of shoring up the Conservative’s new found votes in former ‘Red Wall’ Labour heartlands like Hartlepool. We also discuss how the great ceremonial tradition behind the state opening of parliament was curtailed by the pandemic, with the Queen wearing a simple outfit and her audience in facemasks.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our city hall editor Ross Lydall’s spoken to Sadiq Khan who has now been signed in as mayor of London for the second time at a ceremony in the Globe Theatre at the Southbank. They talk about his priorities for a new term in office, including the “Let’s do London” campaign which is encouraging people to staycation in a capital desperate to get visitors back into its attractions. Ross also gives us his analysis of the election, which proved more dramatic than many polls had predicted although ended with a clear victory for the Labour candidate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Brit Awards will be held on May 11th with a live audience of 4,000 heading to the O2 arena to watch acts like Coldplay, Dua Lipa and Pink on stage. And no-one will be wearing a face mask. How are they going to do that safely? We speak to Genarro Castaldo from the BPI, which organises the annual showcase, who takes us through the enormous logistics of putting together a massive live event under pandemic restrictions. We also look ahead to some of the performances, how music has become more important during lockdown, and the importance of recognising diversity in the UK music industry.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don Thompson, President of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, tells us how the French blockade of St Helier harbour could lead to the island running out of food and fuel within two days.Tensions are escalating between the UK and France, with Britain sending two Royal Navy vessels to the Channel island to keep watch over the protest. Paris has responded by sending the military ship Athos to the harbour on a “patrol mission”.Mr. Thompson tells the podcast the row is over a post-Brexit fishing deal, and he’s concerned “physical confrontations” between vessels could break out at sea if a resolution isn’t found.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.