Peter Mandelson recently made headlines after being caught urinating against a wall, having spent the evening at George Osborne's Notting Hill home. But is it any wonder, when so many public loos are being sold off for profit, for example in West Norwood and the Isle of Dogs?

Last year, Age UK’s Lifting the Lid report found that in the last decade at least 97 council-run toilets have shut across the capital, and closures outnumber openings three to one. Seven London councils now manage fewer than ten public toilets in their entire borough. 

With the public loo under threat, John Darlington, Director of Projects for the World Monuments Fund, joins us to discuss the origins and history of the toilet - and argues that unlike other infrastructure, it still serves a much-needed and essential purpose.

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

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to give the go-ahead for an extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Thamesmead in her Budget next week.

London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has described the news as a “win-win” as it will improve transport links in a poorly connected part of south-east London and should “unlock” thousands of new homes and jobs.

But what does it mean in practice? Where will the new stations be built, what difference will it make to commutes – and does it mean that other London transport schemes such as the Bakerloo line extension will be less likely to happen? The Standard’s City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall is here with the latest.

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

In Darfur, at least twice as many people have been killed than in Gaza since 2023. As the crisis looks likely to worsen, one nation has questions to answer over its links to the atrocities. 

In this week’s special report, The Standard’s Defence Editor Robert Fox shines a light on the situation in Sudan - and specifically how the United Arab Emirates is involved in its  war.

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

It’s predicted to be the movie event of the year, and this Friday 21 November, Wicked: For Good is finally released in cinemas - the follow-up to last year’s Oscar-nominated first film, featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. 

We’re joined by The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block, who gave the sequel a five star rating, and said if it doesn’t get more Oscar nominations, she’ll eat her witch's hat! 

Plus, India is joined by Paul Tazewell, the costume designer behind the epic outfits of the show, who offers a glimpse inside the visual world of Oz…and have you spotted the London destination that has been given a Wicked makeover?

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

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has launched a crackdown on illegal migration, with new reforms aimed at stopping the UK being seen as a ‘golden ticket’ for asylum seekers. They include fast-tracking the deportation of illegal migrants, an overhaul of human rights law and changes to refugee status. The Home Secretary’s proposals are based on those adopted by Denmark, which has seen the number of illegal arrivals in the country plummet in ten years. 

The plans have been billed as the most radical since World War II, but have proven controversial, especially with backbench Labour MPs. As ministers face a growing revolt over the sweeping immigration changes, The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. 

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

It’s been confirmed that the long-awaited Renter’s Rights Act will come into force next year on May 1, with the government setting out a staggered timeline for sweeping renters' reforms. 

As the biggest shake-up to private renting in a generation, the lobbying organisation Generation Rent described it as a “vital first step in righting the power imbalance between landlords and tenants”. But critics are concerned it will prompt more landlords to sell up.  

We’re joined by Matt Hutchinson, Communications Director of flat-sharing site SpareRoom, who shares his perspective on the capital’s housing market, whether landlords will be deterred by the new housing regulations, and what further action the government should take.

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

On 5th November, Ugandan-born Zohran Mamdani secured an astounding, against-the-odds victory in the New York mayoral election, becoming the youngest person in over a century to lead the largest city in the US. It was Mamdani’s message about affordability and the high cost of living that resonated with voters in the Bronx and other underserved areas of New York, but now he has to actually deliver on this mandate for change. 

But can he actually run New York successfully, and how might the capital be impacted by his election win? We’re joined by Sarah Baxter, Director of the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting, in New York City.

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

Refugees and people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity are London’s most disadvantaged groups. To support them, The Standard is launching our Winter Appeal with the backing of Rita Ora - and in collaboration with Comic Relief, who have pledged £500,000 to get us underway.

We’re joined by The Standard’s Campaigns Editor David Cohen, and CEO of Comic Relief, Samir Patel, to discuss how you can help the most vulnerable people in society - those who are homeless, struggling with food insecurity or who have been forced to flee their homes and are seeking asylum in the UK.

Click here to make a donation.

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

Britain’s jobless rate has surged to its highest level for more than four-and-a-half years, as the labour market continues to weaken. London had the highest unemployment rate of any region in the UK at 6.5%, up 0.5% since the previous quarter, the Office for National Statistics reports. Hikes to employer national insurance contributions have been largely blamed for the trend. But the grim jobless figures make a December interest rate cut from the Bank of England a near certainty. 

The capital has been hit particularly hard because of its large numbers of relatively low paid workers in hospitality and retail. It comes ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ autumn budget later in the month, when it’s widely expected that she will break Labour’s manifesto pledge and increase taxes in an attempt to kickstart the UK’s sluggish economy. The Standard’s Business Editor Jonathan Prynn is here with the latest. 

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

Communities Secretary Steve Reed, who is in charge of local government, has said he is “appalled” that serving London councillors are campaigning to become MPs in another country. 

He wrote to Tower Hamlets Council after it was revealed by The Standard that at least two of the borough’s elected representatives had launched campaigns to stand in upcoming elections in Bangladesh. Residents in Mile End have called on Sabina Khan to resign after she announced she was standing for the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) in polls in February. Independent councillor Ohid Ahmed, who represents Lansbury ward in Poplar, is also campaigning to become a BNP candidate. 

It comes as government envoys were sent into Tower Hamlets Council last year, over concerns about the party’s leadership, governance and culture. But are these councillors breaking the law by running for office abroad? The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford joins us with the latest.

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

Is the world’s richest man about to become even richer? Tesla CEO Elon Musk is now in with a shot of becoming a trillionaire, after a record-breaking pay deal was approved by 75 per cent of his company’s shareholders. It would give him stock worth one trillion dollars, if he hits certain performance targets over the next decade, including delivering 20 million Tesla vehicles and one million robots. Ann Lipton, a law professor at the University of Colorado who specialises in corporate governance and securities regulation is here with the latest.  

And in part two, The Standard’s Commissioning Editor and Culture Writer Vicky Jessop joins us to review last night’s finale of the hugely popular Celebrity Traitors TV show.

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

Did you know Britain's courts are in crisis? After years of cuts by politicians, pandemic disruption and operational failures, The Standard’s special report explores the spiralling backlog of court cases that define our broken justice system. Defendants and victims talk about the impact of being trapped, waiting years - sometimes until 2029 or 2030 - for their cases to even come to court. The Standard’s Courts Correspondent Tristan Kirk reports on this shameful decline, and how jury trials could be axed as a possible solution. 

It comes as Justice Secretary David Lammy is under fire, as two criminals were mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth by mistake - with prison governors called in for crisis talks. He went on to admit that the government has a "mountain to climb" in tackling the prisons crisis, as it emerged that 40 more inmates may be wrongly freed before Christmas.

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

Today it’s been revealed that “human errors” led to some grooming gang police investigations being dropped, in the first stage of a massive review of cases involving child sexual abuse. The development came after a Standard investigation uncovered cases of vulnerable young girls from across London who reported allegations of rape from multiple men but saw inadequate police action.

Thousands of cases of rape and sexual assault are being reviewed as part of the National Crime Agency’s Operation Beaconport, which has been designed to rectify police failures to tackle grooming gangs. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Chief Theatre Critic and host of the London Theatre Review podcast, Nick Curtis, joins us to review the new production of Othello at the capital’s Theatre Royal Haymarket.

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

Today Chancellor Rachel Reeves has given the clearest sign yet that she will break Labour’s manifesto promise not to raise taxes on workers, after delivering an unusual pre-Budget speech at Downing Street this morning. She said that after years of so-called economic mismanagement, the budget will focus on “getting inflation falling” and “creating the conditions for interest rate cuts”. But she hasn’t ruled out raising income tax. Stephanie Brobbey, a former private wealth lawyer and founder and CEO of the Good Ancestor Movement, shares her perspective. 

And in part two, the build-up to the festive season is here. The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block joins us to discuss this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert.  

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

The Standard’s latest special report reveals the dark truth behind Dubai, as thousands of Londoners are flocking to the Middle East city each year. Ninety per cent of its residents are from elsewhere, and the Gulf expert Christopher Davidson referred to it as the “ultimate liberal economic city state”, which offers the allure of low taxation and cheap labour.

But what lies beneath the wealth and glamour? Mustafa Qadri, founder and chief executive of the human and labour rights organisation Equidem, investigates modern slavery in a global economy. He joins us to discuss the human rights violations that underpin this polyglot city. 

Podcast image by HIT&RUN

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

Prince Andrew will be stripped of all his titles, Buckingham Palace has confirmed, and will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. King Charles made the unprecedented statement last night, that he will no longer be able to live on the crown estate, and instead will move to a property on the Sandringham Estate. It follows mounting pressure over a string of scandals, the most damaging being Andrew’s relationship with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and alleged sexual abuse of Virginia Giuffre. Freelance journalist Alice Cockerell is here to discuss the fallout. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Head of Culture Martin Robinson joins us to review Florence & The Machine’s new album Everybody Scream. 

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

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed calls for an investigation into Chancellor Rachel Reeves, after it emerged she did not obtain the required “selective” rental licence for her £3,200-a-month Dulwich home when she moved into No 11 Downing Street following the election. In a letter to the prime minister, Reeves “sincerely” apologised for her “inadvertent error”, but the Tories have said she should be sacked. They cited Starmer’s argument after Boris Johnson’s fine for breaching Covid rules that “lawbreakers cannot be lawmakers”. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. 

And in part two The Standard’s Chief Theatre Critic and host of The London Theatre Review podcast, Nick Curtis, is here to review Ella Hickson’s adaptation of Peter Pan, from the Royal Shakespeare Company, which is showing at The Barbican Centre. 

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

Today Chancellor Rachel Reeves has insisted Britain can “defy” economic forecasts as she prepares to deliver another tough budget next month. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is expected to deal the Chancellor a further blow in November by downgrading its productivity forecasts for the British economy, leaving her trying to fill a gap in her plans of more than £20 billion. Some top economists have warned Reeves that increasing income tax or reducing public spending is her only option for balancing the books. We’re joined by Chaitanya Kumar, Head of Economy and Environment at the New Economics Foundation.

And in part two, The Good Food Guide has named the Pelican as London’s best pub. The Standard’s Restaurant Critic and Going Out Editor David Ellis is here with the latest.

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

Today it’s been announced that hundreds of asylum seekers are to be moved to military sites as the Government aims to end the use of hotels to house small boat migrants. However, defence minister Luke Pollard admitted that using military sites could cost the taxpayer more than asylum hotels. Yesterday Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “frustrated and angry” about the soaring cost of the asylum system, after a damning inquiry by the home affairs committee found that Home Office mismanagement had “squandered” billions on housing migrants in hotels. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Food & Drink Writer Josh Barrie joins us to discuss London’s best old school Italian restaurants.

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

Today a parliamentary report has sharply criticised the Home Office's management of the asylum system that has led to "billions" of pounds being wasted. It said the government has repeatedly cut corners and wasted taxpayers’ money with its “failed, chaotic and expensive” system. It comes as the Housing Secretary has said that progress on ending the use of hotels for asylum accommodation will be announced “within weeks”. Daniel Sohege, a specialist in international refugee law and protection, and the director of human rights organisation Stand For All, is here to discuss the news. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Entertainment Editor Lisa McLoughlin joins us as it’s been revealed that Hollywood A-list couple Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes have moved to the leafy north London suburb of Hampstead.

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