The Leader | Evening Standard daily

After weeks of uncertainty students have been told they can go home for Christmas if they want, although they might have to self-isolate before leaving. The education secretary Gavin Williamson's announcement has eased the anxiety of thousands who feared being stuck in halls of residence during the festive season. But our deputy political editor, Nicholas Cecil, says it leaves the government figuring out the headache of moving thousands of people during pandemic. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson's apologised after getting confused by his own lockdown rules during a press conference. Nicholas tells us saying sorry won't bring back public trust.  Also, Tory rebel Steve Baker tells the Leader podcast why he thinks the government's going too far with its lockdown restrictions. He's among backbenchers who are voting against renewing the emergency coronavirus powers, with some calling them "intrusive and ridiculous". Mr Baker says that Downing Street will have to meet a list of demands, including allowing parliament a vote, before he'll back the PM's strategy.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ministers are not ruling out a new social clampdown in London and parts of England, which could see a ban on households mixing indoors, as well as pubs, restaurants and clubs closing for at least two weeks. It follows stark rises in coronavirus cases, including inside the Prime Minister' own constituency. Our associate editor Julian Glover says anxiety's raising across the country, and the government has to start telling the whole truth about what coronavirus is doing, and what Downing Street is really planning on doing about it.  Also, it's claimed Donald Trump paid just $750 in federal income taxes the year he ran for president and in his first year in the White House. The Evening Standard's Susannah Butter says that's been seized upon by the Democrats, but there doesn't appear to be any sign of Mr Trump's supporters switching their votes. But with the first presidential debate due to take place this week, Susannah tells us there's going to be an ugly fight to scoop up those Americans still undecided about who they want in the Oval Office.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Urgent questions are being asked after a custody sergeant was shot dead by a suspect in a police station in Croydon. An investigation's underway into how the man, believed to have been arrested on suspicion of possessing ammunition, was apparently able to take a gun inside, and whether the weapon was missed in a search. The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, says an inquiry's underway, while Met Commissioner, Cressida Dick, says the death has sent "shockwaves reverberating" throughout the force. The Evening Standard's John Dunne tells the podcast, officers themselves are concerned about their safety.  And, Boris Johnson is facing on trouble on two fronts. Some backbench Tory MPs are rebelling against the PM, claiming he's "ruling by fiat" by imposing lockdown regulations without a vote in Parliament. Meanwhile, an Evening Standard IPSOS Mori poll shows the public is questioning his leadership during the crisis. Our political editor Joe Murphy says the poll also shows strong support for the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, who has stronger ratings than both Mr Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rishi Sunak's urging the country to “live without fear” after unveiling a new part-time Jobs Support Scheme and other measures designed to prop up the economy until a coronavirus vaccine is ready. The Chancellor's announced a multi-billion pound package of help to replace the costly furlough scheme, allowing millions to go part time while keeping around four-fifths or more of their earnings. But the Evening Standard's Jonathan Prynn's warning the battered hospitality sector says it won't be enough to save restaurant and pub jobs – and the Chancellor himself ha admitted that “we can’t save every job”. Also, the long awaited Covid-19 track and trace app has finally been released, just as the health secretary Matt Hancock says the number of cases being recorded is nearly 10,000 a day. The smartphone app is supposed to be a game changer, but it's emerged people with older iPhones won't be able to use it. We speak to Dr Sarah Jarvis, who was among those who trialled the tech, to ask how it works and if it really will make the country safer?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are divisions in the cabinet the cause of muddled messaging and seemingly contradictory guidelines being issued by the government on coronavirus? Senior editor of the Economist, Anne McElvoy joins us to explain what she calls the "Hawks and Doves" battling over whether to prioritise the economy or health as the country endures further, ever more complex, restrictions. She says Boris Johnson is trying to balance the two sides, while avoiding a Parliamentary showdown he fears he could lose, despite his 80-seat majority. You can also read Anne's column in the Evening Standard. And, six months after the first lockdown fell, a lot of people have had an awful lot of time to think about what’s changed in the UK. Evening Standard features writer Katie Strick has spoken to 10 key Londoners and asked them what they’ve learned during this pandemic. She tells us how mayor Sadiq Khan found it "incredibly tough" adjusting to lockdown, and why author and nurse Christie Watson had to rewrite her will when she signed up for the emergency Covid-19 register.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Boris Johnson has revealed a swathe of new coronavirus restrictions, as the country tries to fend of the infection's apparent revival. There are curfews on bars, strict new face mask policies, even the halving of the number of guests you can invite to a wedding. Guidance on returning to the office has been reversed, with the government now urging people to stay at home if they can. The Prime Minister says it's not a full lockdown, but the Evening Standard's Jonathan Prynn says the economic impact is going to be enormous.  And, our health editor Ross Lydall explains why doctors think they're better prepared for a second wave than they were for the first. He's been talking to medics who say they have a better understanding of how to treat the illness. He also reveals how London's biggest hospital has re-opened a mothball intensive care unit to help the city cope with a feared influx of new patients.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The UK’s top health officials have warned that if the rate of coronavirus infections continues unabated, we could hit 50,000 per day by mid October. By mid-November, they say that could mean Britain recording 200 deaths per day. As we’re warned of new restrictions to come, the Evening Standard’s associate editor Julian Glover asks: what can we learn from last time around? And, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to address the nation on Tuesday to outline a new set of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19. Political editor Joe Murphy says he will have to strike the right balance between protecting the health of the nation, and the health of the economy. Meanwhile, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan is keen to introduce measures that’ll stop the virus in its tracks - will the capital be put under a different set of lockdown rules?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Heath Secretary Matt Hancock has put the country on notice for a national social lockdown, saying: “I fear more people will die.” But our political editor Joe Murphy says restrictions this time could be a lot different than before, with an emphasis on keeping friends apart. He also tells us about the crunch Downing Street meetings this week, where scientists called for the Prime Minister to force a "circuit break" but the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, warned about the "extremely worrying" forecasts for the economy if we go into any form of extended lockdown.  Also, the Coram adoption charity is reporting a massive increase in the number of people looking to take in children during this pandemic. It says numbers are up 24% on last year, and it thinks it's down to people having time to reflect on what's important in their lives. We speak to the charity's Sue Lowndes who says the rising interest has taken them by surprise, but delighted children who feared their chances of finding a new home would be hurt in a time of social isolation. She also gives advice for those who are considering adoption themselves.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The full scale of the Covid testing crisis in London has been exposed by an Evening Standard investigation which found appointments were not available to book online. Our reporter Rachael Burford tried to arrange walk-in or drive-in slots in each of the 32 boroughs yesterday but every time received the message: “No test sites found.” Rachael tells the podcast how she also spoke to the mother of a six year old girl with a temperature who was told to go on a three hour round trip to get a test.  Also, Under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith, JK Rowling has published her new novel 'Troubled Blood' and walked straight into another row over alleged “transphobia”. An early review claimed its moral is “never trust a man in a dress”. Miss Rowling has been a high-profile sceptic on transgender rights. But the book’s nearly 1,000 pages long, so is it really all about that? We speak to the Evening Standard's Vicky Frost, whose review, available on standard.co.uk, describes the book as "slow and clumsy".  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ministers are under pressure to rethink the system of “outsourcing” for processing coronavirus tests as spare capacity in NHS laboratories goes unused. The chaos facing people trying to get Covid checks is understood to be a consequence of log-jams in the Lighthouse Laboratories set up by the Government at arms-length from the NHS to process swabs from drive-through and walk-in testing centres. The Evening Standard's health editor Ross Lydall says problems are being caused by a lack of staff, but the true scale of what's happening is shrouded in "secrecy".  Also, the boss of British Airways has admitted the airline is “fighting for survival” as he defended the airline’s decision to cut up to 12,000 jobs in front of MPs. Alex Cruz told the Commons’ Transport Select Committee: “Fewer passengers means fewer flights, and fewer flights means fewer people required to actually service them." We speak to travel expert Paul Charles who says the threat against the UK's biggest airline shows how serious the dangers caused by coronavirus to the industry are, but there could be a way to get things to moving again.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With universities returning, joining the school pupils already back at classes, and the increasing numbers of those going to the office, the UK’s track and trace system is under strain. One expert’s told the Evening Standard it's nowhere near the 70-80% coverage the system needs to be effective and it's only going to get worse as winter arrives. Our deputy political editor, Nicholas Cecil, says schoolchildren with nothing more than the common cold are adding to the problems, as they're being made to get a test before they can go back to class. Meanwhile, he says the government has a problem with persuading people that it can get the job done.  And, our Tech correspondent Mark Blunden tells us about the researchers recreating conditions on Mars at a lab in Dorking. They're part of an international project to send a rover to the planet and search for signs of life. Coming after the news that something may have been found in the atmosphere over Venus, Mark says there's a lot of excitement about what else might be out there.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At the start of lockdown we stood with our neighbours and applauded key workers in the NHS. Now we are being told to report the people next door to the police. Policing minister Kit Malthouse says people should "absolutely" call police if there's a large social gathering in their street. Has the government created a snooper's charter with its new laws? Our court correspondent Tristan Kirk says the regulations have caused a stir in legal circles by banning "mingling" but not defining what that means. And he also says courts are not expecting to see many, if any, people convicted.  David Cameron's become the fifth former prime minister to warn Boris Johnson not to break international law as up to 20 Conservative MPs threaten to join a rebellion in the Commons. The former Tory leader says defying the law us “the very, very last thing you should contemplate” and that he has “misgivings” about Mr Johnson’s tactics. Evening Standard political reporter Sophia Sleigh says Mr Cameron's words are more "measured" than those of other critics like John Major and Tony Blair, but the rising tide of rebellion appears to have Downing Street worried.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Boris Johnson's facing two significant revolts from within his own ranks over coronavirus and Brexit. Some backbenchers want under-12s exempt from the new 'rule of six' regulations on social gatherings. But our political editor, Joe Murphy, says it's the second rebellion that's causing the most problems for the PM: Major figures in the Tory party, like Lord Howard and Theresa May, are calling for a re-think over a bill that would overwrite a treaty already signed with the EU. We hear how that's making some MPs nervous, and why pressure from politicians in the US is also bearing down on the Cabinet.  Also, we hear from an Oregon woman whose home town is being ravaged by wildfires. Half a million people have been evacuated in the State, and at least 10 have died. Vanessa Lamers describes how flames are destroying the area she grew up in, and why the air is becoming toxic. She also says that even when people return, there may not be much left for them to come back to.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Boris Johnson's "moonshoot project" would see billions of pounds spent on testing kits that can deliver results that day, but his optimism has been met with scepticism and some scientists say the tech doesn't exist. Columnist Ayesha Hazarika tells us she thinks the scheme sounds like a fantasy, and what people really want are the hard facts. A former government advisor herself, she says Downing Street's communications are confusing the public, and it's time to get real.  Also, the Evening Standard's deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil explains why a government minister's telling students to "take responsibility" in the bedroom during Freshers' Week. Health minister Lord Bethell's given the warning as universities open their doors, amid concerns it could lead to a further spike in coronavirus cases. But the NUS says students are being made "a scapegoat".   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After the Evening Standard revealed the government's bringing in restrictions to limit social gatherings to six, it's now reported pubs may have a 10pm curfew. Meanwhile, the foreign travel quarantine rules, which vary across the United Kingdom, are still confusing passengers and putting people off holidays. Our associate editor Julian Glover says the situation has got too complicated for everyone, including ministers, and it's time for a reset... but he wonders if there's anyone in the cabinet who can do it?  Also, last year Amazon’s revenues in the UK went up from £10.9bn to £13.7bn.  It's tax bill on all those billions is £293m pounds. MPs like Labour’s Margaret Hodge say that’s unacceptable. Evening Standard business journalist Mark Shapland explains how the company's accounts actually work, and why Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos, who is worth around £150bn himself, is getting little sympathy.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.