The Standard

Arts correspondent Robert Dex joins us to look at a government plan that could allow theatres to re-open without social distancing as early as this summer. Ministers are looking at how rapid tests and proof of vaccination could allow big shows to reopen in the West End, with auditoriums filled rather than nearly empty.It follows updated advice from scientists who believe we’ll all have to socially distance for several months after lockdown restrictions are eased because of concerns over covid mutations. But Robert tells us many theatre producers are wary of introducing covid passports, fearing it might mistakenly send the signal that a night in the West End is more dangerous than going to the shops. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Evening Standard’s deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil joins us to explain why researchers are to begin coronavirus vaccine trials with children. It follows news that youngsters as young as five could be given the AstraZeneca jab in trials that could be key to keeping schools open after the summer. Professor Adam Finn, head of the Bristol Children’s Vaccine Centre, says giving the inoculations to millions of children may be necessary to keep the virus at bay.Meanwhile, Nicholas also tells us how official figures have revealed the vaccine roll-out in London and across England has “flipped” to delivering more second doses than first shots.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

The Evening Standard’s deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil joins the show to explain the new Novovax vaccine, that could be released in the UK in April. He says ministers have ordered 60 million doses, after trials found it to be 86 per cent effective against the Kent variant of Covid-19 and 96 per cent against the Wuhan strain. It comes as lockdown restrictions are lifted across the country, coinciding with a min-heatwave which has encouraged people to get outside and join their friends and family. Nicholas says that’s got some doctors concerned about people’s behaviour, with a warning not to drink and let your guard down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

We’re just over one year since lockdown began, and we’re just a few days from it at least starting to come to an end. This week on the Leader podcast we’ve been looking at how the pandemic has affected our health and our economy – but what happens next? Will people go back to the office? Will they even want to? And is that going to cause problems for employers?  O2 Business has been looking at this, and they’ve discovered there are three types of people out there: office cravers, home dwellers, and mixers. We spoke to their Managing Director Jo Bertram to ask her about who those people are and how we’re all going to have to adapt to a post-pandemic world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It looks like the government's planning some kind of certification scheme for bars, retailers and airports that would allow people to prove they've either been vaccinated or do not have Covid-19. The Prime Minister says "there is going to be a role for certification" but it won't be put in place until "absolutely everyone" has been offered the jab. The Evening Standard's Reveller editor, David Ellis, joins the show to look at how 'Covid Passports for Pubs' might work, and if it will hurt an industry struggling to recover from lockdown or will it make potential customers feel more safe?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservative candidate for London Mayor, Shaun Bailey's told the Evening Standard he'll close the gap on Sadiq Khan ahead of the city making its vote on May 6th. He spoke to Ross Lydall, who joins the podcast to assess the Tory hopeful's chances after our Opinium survey of 1,100 Londoners revealed Mr Khan leads by 53 per cent to 28 per cent on first preferences.  Also, political reporter Sophia Sleigh's spoken to historian Dan Snow about proposals for a Covid-19 memorial at Whitehall. But what would something like that look like and is London the best place for it?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Political editor Joe Murphy describes the negotiations as the European Union threatens to raise the stakes in the vaccine wars, just as Boris Johnson warns the continent's "third wave" of coronavirus will "wash up on our shores". The PM made the comments amid a fresh war of words brewing with the EU over the vaccine roll out. The president of the European Commission has warned that the EU could “forbid” doses made in the bloc from being exported to the UK. Also, if you’re a Deliveroo customer, chances are you’ll have had an offer to tuck into a slice of its IPO pop up in your inbox. So, what do you do? Buy in the hope of making big profits from your takeaway habit, or steer clear of what looks like a frothy market for IPOs? Our city editor Jim Armitage gives his verdict and tells us why today's digital stocks are reminding him of the late 90s dotcom bubble.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.