The Standard

Boris Johnson has announced Plan B measures, including work from home guidance and compulsory mask wearing, will be lifted next week.His decision will be well received by many people, but it comes as the latest YouGov poll puts Labour 32 points ahead of the Conservatives in London.In a series of other shocks for the Tories, it also showed that two thirds of Londoners believe the Prime Minister should resign.The Evening Standard’s Political Editor Nicholas Cecil explains what the poll results mean for the Conservatives, and what Boris Johnson must do next to win over MPs and the general public after the ‘Partygate scandal’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan has spoken with the Leader about his proposal to replace the congestion charge and ultra-low emission zones in the city with a pay-per-mile system instead.He told us some form of smart road user charging system is 'inevitable' as London aims to cut pollution and congestion.Other proposals include an extension of the ULEZ to cover the whole of London, and charging drivers of vehicles registered outside London for entering the capital.In this interview, Sadiq explains why he’s looking at these options, how it can be affordable, and why he’s planning such extensive action to tackle air pollution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MPs and business leaders have piled more pressure on Boris Johnson to end Plan B and the work from home advice.Some have warned of catastrophic long-term damage to some London districts, as a result of lockdowns, trading restrictions and guidance not to commute to the office over the past two years.Government officials are due to review the Plan B guidelines on the 26th.Chairman of the Conservatives Oliver Dowden hinted on Sunday that the restrictions could be lifted at the end of the month.The Evening Standard’s Associate Editor Jonathan Prynn discusses what business groups are calling for, how long they can survive under Plan B measures, and what the future holds for guidance on working from home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a week to forget for the Prime Minister and with allegations of even more government covid rule breaks, he’s still not out of the woods. After a family member tested positive for covid, Boris Johnson is now stuck isolating in Downing Street giving him time to think about his next move. The Evening Standard’s Deputy Political Editor, David Bond, explains what we know so far about the numerous controversial parties, how much clarity the Sue Gray inquiry will bring to the situation and whether there’s a way back from this for Boris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travel to France is back again. The country has announced it will lift its ban on UK holidaymakers from tomorrow.It means an end to controversial restrictions brought in last month for British travellers to curb the rapid spread of Omicron. These included; having ‘a compelling reason’ to enter the country and a requirement to isolate on arrival.It all sounds like good news but it’s not actually that straight forward as Simon Calder, the Independent’s Travel Correspondent explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London could be about to face a different health crisis - congestion. The city’s Mayor has issued a warning that the capital could soon be overrun by filthy air and gridlock because of a shift towards driving as transport during the pandemic. However, with the ongoing TfL funding crisis and fare increases on the horizon, Sadiq Khan has a big job on his hands if he wants to convince people to ditch their cars. Also, with positive signs of covid cases in the city easing, can we expect a return to the office soon? Our City Hall Editor, Ross Lydall, has been speaking to Mr Khan about what this could all mean for Londoners, if the end is near for working from home and whether we can expect any changes when it comes to the law on cannabis.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New findings from Imperial College London could help future-proof covid vaccines.The study found that high levels of T-cells from common cold coronaviruses could provide protection against covid - which could give a blue print when it comes to creating new jabs to target the virus. Dr Rhia Kundu is the study author from Imperial College London. She explains the findings and how Londoners played a crucial role in this important research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New hope for thousands of people impacted by the ongoing cladding crisis. The Housing Minister, Michael Gove, says developers must agree to a £4 billion plan to fix dangerous cladding on low-rise flats by early March or risk new laws forcing them to act. The Evening Standard’s political reporter Rachael Burford explains what exactly the plans mean, how they could help and what happens next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve already been hit with the highest inflation rate in 10 years - and there’s more financial heartache in store for Londoners...The capital and South East are set to bear the brunt of National Insurance increases, and your household bills are forecast to spiral by hundreds of pounds.How do we get this under control, and can anything be learned from history?David Bond, the Evening Standard’s Deputy Political Editor, unpicks the economics and examines what all this means for the Prime Minister's electoral prospects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re still nursing the post-New Year blues or hope to cut down your drinking a bit for ‘22, London’s first alcohol-free off-licence has opened as a pop-up in the West End.The shop is run by former Islington Liberal Democrat councillor Laura Willoughby, who founded her Club Soda startup to help people with “mindful drinking”, spurred by an energy boost after giving up alcohol herself a decade ago.Now, the month-long pop-up on Great Portland Street is stacked with low and no-alcohol drinks, from beer to vodka and even pre-mixed negronis.It comes as the British Beer & Pub Association said Britons were set to drink nearly 8 million pints of low-and no-alcohol beer this month amid Dry January resolutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.