The Standard

Poland is the closest to open conflict it has been since World War Two, the country’s Prime Minister has warned after the country shot down drones that entered its airspace during a widespread Russian attack in western Ukraine. Defence Secretary John Healey accused President Vladimir Putin of ‘testing’ Western allies with the attack, and said UK Armed Forces are looking at options to bolster NATO’s air defence over Poland. The Stan...

League tables of the best and worst-performing NHS trusts in England have been published by the Department of Health and Social Care for the first time. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the tables would help inform the public and allow them to exercise choice, but critics are less certain. Sebastian Reese, Head of Health at the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank, is here to discuss the pros and cons. 

And in...

Today London’s tube workers are on strike. Thousands of commuters in the capital have experienced nightmarish journeys during rush hour, in the first of four days of staff walkouts, with hardly any London Underground trains operating. The Standard’s City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall has the latest from the RMT Union picket line.

And in part two, The Standard’s Food and Drink Writer Josh Barrie joins us to discuss the op...

Today the Reform Party Conference kicked off in Birmingham, just as Angela Rayner quit as Deputy Prime Minister following an investigation into tax dealings surrounding the purchase of her new home. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford joins us from the conference itself to discuss Nigel Farage’s speech. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block is here to analyse the new trailer fr...

The Standard’s Campaigns Editor David Cohen joins us on the launch of Destination Unknown, a new campaign in partnership with The King’s Trust to tackle London’s youth unemployment crisis. With one in six young Londoners unemployed, The Standard wants to get young London working again - and CEO of The King’s Trust, Jonathan Townsend, is here with the latest. Click here to donate. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Head of Cul...

As PMQs kick off today after the summer recess, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has admitted that she did not pay enough tax when buying her new flat and has referred herself for investigation. She said she received incorrect legal advice that led to her paying less stamp duty. In other news, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced when this year’s autumn budget will happen - and is under pressure to improve public finances. The Sta...

Commuters in the capital face a four-day Tube shutdown next week and disruption from Sunday until Friday if a union presses ahead with threatened strike action, Transport for London has warned. Talks held between TfL and the RMT union today have attempted to avert what will be one of the worst strikes in years - but no resolution has been found. The Standard’s City Hall & Transport Editor Ross Lydall is here with the latest.&nb...

Today Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner continues to face criticism regarding the purchase of an £800,000 flat in Hove. She has been accused of ‘hypocrisy’ for avoiding tax on her new seaside home, as she allegedly saved £40,000 in stamp duty, by declaring that it was the only property she owns. The Conservatives are calling for her to face an ethics inquiry, and The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is her...

An NHS vaccine for chickenpox will be rolled out in England from January, in the biggest expansion of the childhood immunisation programme for a decade. It will be offered as part of a new combined MMRV vaccine, for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, by GPs. Professor Helen Bedford, from the UCL Institute of Child Health joins us with the latest.

And in part two, The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block joins us to discuss ...

Today Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been accused of running “the economy like Baldrick”, from the Blackadder sitcom, and risking rising rents, amid reports that the Treasury is considering hiking tax for landlords. Ahead of this autumn’s budget, Reeves is desperately trying to find ways to raise revenue and improve the UK’s public finances. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. 

Campaigners are calling for free public transport in London, as travel fares are set to rise above inflation until 2030 - but is it feasible? The Standard’s City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall joins us to discuss the issue, alongside his latest reporting on the worrying rise of fare evasion across London’s transport network.  

And in part two, why the Bifana, a traditional Portuguese sandwich, is proving popular...

Today, a record 6.5 million Britons are claiming out of work benefits - a jump of 500,000 since Labour came to power. It comes despite Sir Keir Starmer’s election campaign promise to “get Britain working” and achieve the highest employment rate in the G7. In some parts of the UK, like Blackpool, Liverpool and Glasgow, more than a quarter of working-age adults are now on out-of-work benefits. The Standard’s Business Editor Jonathan ...

A wave of protests outside hotels used as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers is set to take place over the weekend. It comes as the latest figures showed there were more than 32,000 asylum seekers in hotels, marking a rise of 8 per cent during Labour’s first year in office. Kolbassia Haoussou, Director of Survivor Empowerment at Freedom from Torture shares his own experience of fleeing from Chad to the UK as a refugee. ...

It’s GCSE Results day - and London is further ahead of any other region in the country, when it comes to students achieving at least a 7 or an A grade. We’re joined by Efua Poku Amanfo, a researcher at The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) to discuss.

And in part two, freelance writer and editor Olive Pometsey joins after interviewing the South African pop superstar Tyla, who is performing at this weekend’s All Points ...

UK inflation has risen more than expected to 3.8 per cent today, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. It’s the highest since January 2024, and when Labour came to power last summer, inflation was just 2.2 per cent. We’re joined by Jaya Sood, a senior economist at the New Economics Foundation to discuss. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block joins us to talk about the frenzy caused...

The Treasury is considering a new tax on the sale of homes worth more than £500,000 as a step towards a radical overhaul of stamp duty and council tax - although no final decision has been made. With half of all home sales over £500,000 in London, it would have a disproportionate impact on the capital. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford has the latest. 

And in part two, male-scepticism is rife amon...

The Government is working “at pace” to bring sick and injured children from Gaza to the UK for urgent medical treatment, Downing Street has said. We’re joined by Dr James Smith, a British emergency physician and expert in humanitarian studies based at University College London. He worked in Gaza for 2.5 months, and assisted with the medical transfer and evacuation of patients.

And in part two, author Julia Smith joins us to shar...

Later today US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska for a highly anticipated summit on the Ukraine war. Ahead of the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was "counting on America” and Trump has called the summit “high stakes”. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford joins us to explain more. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Comedy Crit...

Today A-Level results have reached record highs since the Covid pandemic, with London students achieving the best grades in the country. However, experts say the gap between the best and worst performing regions appears to be widening, with the North-South divide becoming further entrenched. Efua Poku-Amanfo, a researcher at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), joins us to discuss.  

And in part two, John Darlin...