The Standard

The Conservatives have dumped Theresa May’s 100,000 goal for net immigration. Home Secretary Priti Patel says the new plan will bring overall immigration down but give skilled workers preference under a points-based system and expert recommendations. Evening Standard associate editor Julian Glover joins The Leader podcast to explain why this is ‘impossible’.The RMT have announced another 24-hour strike, this time on the Victoria line - one of London’s busiest - on the 27th and 28th November. The Leader explains why we think the union is being “childish”.The Science Museum is devoting its first-floor galleries to telling the history of medicine. Exhibits include the first MRI scanner, a Victorian pharmacy and a padded cell. Evening Standard Arts correspondent Robert Dex joins the podcast to tell us more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode:Loyal, dependable and now… independent, thanks to having the Conservative whip removed after voting against the government – Tory bastion David Gauke has announced he’s running as an independent in his previously safe Tory stronghold of South West Hertfordshire.The 2019 election campaign so far is the kind satirists live for. So today’s Leader podcast speaks to Evening Standard cartoonist Christian Adams takes us through the skill of satire – and why Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn are such a gift to cartoonists.Donald Trump, who prides himself on his TV ratings, is furious that impeachment proceedings against him are being televised. The Evening Standard’s US Political Columnist Philip Delves Broughton tells The Leader whether the democrats are likely to succeed in ousting him – and what their plan might be otherwise.Also, Greta Thunberg’s in a transatlantic race against time to sail from the US to Spain for a climate change conference after the location changed at the last minute. Will she make it? We wish her the best of luck! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

Sajid Javid’s turning on the money tap, but where is he getting the cash? Associate editor Julian Glover explains why the Chancellor’s plans announced on Thursday will mean higher taxes in the long-run.Londoner editor Ayesha Hazarika explores the options for disillusioned Labour voters. Deputy Leader Tom Watson has resigned and former Labour MP Ian Austin has said voters should choose Johnson over Corybn – but will some switch to the Liberal Democrats instead?We spoke to a shell-shocked Death of a Salesman star Wendell Pierce just after part of the roof in the London theatre he was performing in collapsed – presenter of The Leader podcast, David Marsland, happened to be in the audience and witnessed the event. He asks our critic Nick Curtis whether London’s famous theatres are safe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The election campaigns have barely started and Boris Johnson is already having to deal with trouble in the conservatives. Our editorial explains, it’s a bad start for Boris. Political editor Joe Murphy joins The Leader podcast to discuss what we should expect next from our Prime Minister. Also, retail giant Marks and Spencer’s is in crisis again, with profits plunging by 17 percent. Business news editor Alex Lawson explains why – and what it means for the British high street. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not enough people are registering to vote for the upcoming UK General Election, which means marginal seats could be swung. We sit down with our home affairs editor Martin Bentham to discuss the importance of voting on December 12th – and how to register well in advance. School children are protesting against pollution in London by installing aeroplane-style breathing masks at their bus-stop.Selma star David Oyelowo tells the Evening Standard today that he believes Netflix is having a positive impact on diversity both on and off screen. With this month’s launch of both Apple TV+ and Disney+, Features writer Lucy Tobin joins The Leader podcast to discuss the streaming wars – and the boost it’s giving to the creative industries in London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a new speaker is installed to the House of Commons, we sit down with Ayesha Hazarika to talk about the important role they could play in one of the most turbulent times in UK politics. Mikhail Gorbachev is warning the world that he believes tensions between Russia and the West put u in “colossal danger” – why we think world leaders should listen And we talk to our digital arts editor Jessie Thompson about the women dominating major categories at this year’s Evening Standard Theatre Awards. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sadiq Khan called for a rethink on cannabis laws and policing today, to cut violent street crime. This follows a report showing that 63 per cent of Londoners think the Class B drug should be legalised for recreational and medicinal use for adults. So with opinions changing, David Cohen our investigations editor tells us why this conversation is so important.A report by the coroner on the inquests into the London Bridge attack came out today, we discuss how we can learn from these attacks to protect and react better if these attacks happen again.C’mon England! Our boys have battled the might of the All-Blacks and the forces of nature for their place in the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa. Will McPhearson joins us again from Tokyo to look at their story so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the 31st of October and we haven’t left the EU. But Boris Johnson is not ‘dead in a ditch’. In fact despite Brexit delays the Conservative government are still far ahead in the General Election polls – a scary Halloween prospect for Jeremy Corbyn. Can the Labour Party make up enough ground before December the 12th to win? Our political editor Joe Murphy’s been going through the figures from the Evening Standard’s own poll and joins The Leader podcast from his Westminster office. Also: when the occupant of an unassuming apartment in Notting Hill died, he left behind an extraordinary collection ofhis own art. Now the owners of that building want to clear it out and move someone else in. We speak to our Artsand Features writer Melanie McDonagh about what the house is like, and why we think they should leave it alone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.