The Leader | Evening Standard daily

Boris Johnson's warning against “complacency” about Covid-19 among young people as he prepares the ground for a major crackdown on people holding parties in defiance of social distancing. The Standard understands that minsters are deeply concerned about gatherings held by young people, particularly as students head back to university in coming weeks. Our political editor, Joe Murphy, says Mr Johnson may announce moves to cut the legal maximum size of a gathering from 30 to possibly as few as six. Also, a stage adaptation of the cult classic film Back To The Future is set to open in the West End — with original film actor Christopher Lloyd helping launch the show by picking up a copy of the Evening Standard. Back to the Future, The Musical will open at the Adelphi Theatre in The Strand on May 14 next year. We ask the show's producer, Colin Ingram, if Marty and Doc Brown can save the day for London theatre?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Hancock's dramatically raising hopes of a Covid-19 vaccine within months. The Health Secretary says it's “looking up” that a drug being developed by experts at the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca would be granted approval for use soon after trials in several countries, including the UK, US and Brazil. But the Evening Standard's deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says we've yet hear confirmation from the medical community, and with coronavirus cases rising again the government needs to deliver on its promises to retain public confidence.  And, bust up or brinkmanship? Our associate editor Julian Glover looks at what's going on with Brexit. The Prime Minister's vowing he "won't back down" as alarms sound following reports the government's planning to overwrite parts of the Withdrawal Agreement. It could lead to trade talks collapsing in mid-October, and a "no deal" scenario returning to discussions. Could the UK really "prosper mightily" as the Prime Minister claims?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Evening Standard's learned millions of people could get free rides into London under bold plans to fight the slump caused by coronavirus. Free tickets for trains, buses and the Tube are being discussed as a radical way of getting the public to see for themselves that it is safe to go back to offices and to enjoy shops, restaurants, museums and galleries. The story was broken by our political editor Joe Murphy who says government and businesses are backing it, but they still have to work out which side's going to pay for it.  Also, even Transport Secretary Grant Shapps thinks airport quarantine rules are confusing after some parts of the UK added Portugal and parts of Greece to their 'red lists' while England didn't. Meanwhile, with people abandoning their holidays the travel industry's being bit with another blow as Virgin Airlines announces 1,150 job losses. Travel journalist Simon Calder tells us the situation is a shambles, and predicts the entire system will be scrapped within a week.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Hancock's defended Tony Abbott as “an expert in trade” after being quizzed over allegations that the former Australian Prime Minister is a "homophobic misogynist". But others in the Conservative party and beyond are questioning why Mr Abbot's being tipped for an advisory role to help secure post-Brexit deals around the world. Our political reporter Sophia Sleigh says the potential appointment is a controversial one, but the government doesn't look like it's going to change its mind for now.  And, adverts for Dettol suggesting people miss "wearing a tie" and "proper bants" in the workplace are being mocked on social media. The posters on the underground are trying to encourage people to go back to the office, but reaction includes one person saying they're "firmly on the side of the 0.1% of bacteria" the disinfectant doesn't kill. The Evening Standard Susannah Butter says the public just wants to know if it's safe to get on the tube, and doesn't need "banter" to get them back behind a desk.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How can Londoners be expected to get on public transport when political leaders aren't being seen doing it themselves? The government's repeatedly called for people to go back to work, but commuter numbers on trains and busses don't seem to be rising. Meanwhile, car use does appear to be on the up. We speak to the Evening Standard's Sam Fishwick, who interviewed recently appointed TFL chief Andy Byford, who says he needs people like Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan to make it clear that the tube, busses and trams are safe to use.  Also, just after being roasted in Parliament by Sir Keir Starmer for several government U-turns during the pandemic, Boris Johnson made another one. Following pressure from councils in Bolton and Trafford plans to ease restrictions there have been dumped. Our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil tells us the repeated reversals are causing disquiet on the Tory back benches, and endangering public confidence in Downing Street's handling of the coronavirus crisis.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Thousands of school children are returning to classrooms, but huge numbers of adults are still working from home. How do we get those people to return to a city centre that's at risk of dying? We speak to the Evening Standard's associate editor Julian Glover about the newspaper's call for Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan to show more leadership for the capital's 9 million residents. He says many are still afraid of covid-19 despite encouraging figures on infection rates and hospital admissions. And he asks how hard is it for the Prime Minister and Mayor to get on a tube and show public transport is safe?  Also, Extinction Rebellion captured headlines around the world when they brought London to standstill last year with marches and  a pink boat on Oxford Street. But the campaigners also struck the wrong note when they attempted to disrupt trains, and some of their stunts, such as an attempt to shut down Heathrow with drones, have fallen flat. As they return to the city for 10 days of protest, our features writer Sam Fishwick says leaders know the campaign needs a reboot to recapture the public's imagination.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Grant Shapps says it is “safe” for the public to return to work and he stands ready to put on extra trains as people head back to offices and workplaces. The Transport Secretary's been doing interviews saying getting back to the camaraderie of office life is vital to the mental health of some people. But are company bosses being creative enough in ways of encouraging staff to return to their desks, and if there is a rush to the office can public transport take it - especially with schools also returning? We speak to Transport for London's surface transport MD Gareth Powell who explains how an innovative new school bus system will relieve pressure on roads, and help maintain social distancing.  Also, Donald Trump's formally accepted the Republican Party's nomination to run for President with a speech that mentioned Joe Biden 40 times by name but didn't include the words 'coronavirus' or 'covid-19' even once. He closed the GOP's national convention last night, while still trailing in the polls to his Democrat rival. His address was filled with claims a vote against him will bring turmoil and violence to the US, and our Stateside correspondent David Gardner says the incumbent has set the tone for the final stretch until the election itself.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock's under fire after admitting he has “absolutely no idea” how many of his own staff are working from home or coming into the office. In an interview with Times Radio he suggested it doesn't matter if civil servants work from home and stay away from central London, saying: “What I care about is how effectively people work.” Evening Standard political editor Joe Murphy says the comments could undermine government calls for people to go back to their desks after lockdown, and they've also shone a spotlight on just how many civil servants are still working from home.  Also, Hurricane Laura's forced thousands to flee their homes after battering the United States' Gulf Coast with ferocious wind and torrential rain. Hundreds of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate ahead of the hurricane, but not everyone fled from the area, which was devastated by Hurricane Rita in 2005. We speak to Jeff Palermo from the Louisiana Radio Network who says there's been "severe" damage and at least one fatality.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After this year's exams mess, a group of headteachers is calling for next year's A-levels and GCSEs to be postponed by up to six weeks. They say pupils due to take them in June have already had their lessons disrupted by coronavirus, and it's only fair to allow more classroom time to help them make up for it. Some, though, are concerned it will lead to a rush to grade exams, with a knock-on effect on universities who have to allocate places. The Evening Standard's Rachael Burford tells us the government is considering the delay, while other parts of the UK have already introduced similar measures.  And, Christopher Nolan's Tenet is so important to the entire movie industry even Tom Cruise, who has nothing to do with the film, has been promoting it. The potential blockbuster is the first big hit since the pandemic forced cinemas to shut down, and Hollywood's nervously waiting to see if people will return to theatres after months of watching movies at home. We speak to the BFI's head of UK audiences, Ben Luxford, who says it'll take more than one hit to guarantee the survival of cinema.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The government is under growing pressure to u-turn on guidance for face mask wearing in schools in England. A large number of headteachers are ignoring official advice and telling students and staff they must have them in crowded spaces like corridors. Scotland's First Minister's also ruled secondary schools there must use masks from Monday. Will Westminster follow, just as it did with the exam result fiasco? We speak to Julie McCulloch from the Association of School and College Leaders who says if a change is coming it better be soon, because some schools are preparing to open within days.  And the Republican National Convention continues in the States with speakers including Donald Trump's son Eric and daughter Tiffany. That follows last night's addresses from Donald Trump Jr, his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle and the President himself. Our US correspondent David Gardner says the GOP's big event's been wholly taken over by the Trump family, and planned messages about "a land of promise" thrown out in favour of apocalyptic doom warnings if Joe Biden wins. Mr Trump also claims the Democrats are trying to "steal" the election. Is it working on voters as polls consistently show the President trailing his rival for the White House?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, has told the Evening Standard that opening schools in September is a "moral imperative". Where does that leave parents who are unsure about the risks, or children who haven't seen a classroom since March? Child psychologist Emma Kenny gives advice on how to talk to young people who may be worried about the health and social risks of going back to school, and warns that we cannot raise a generation that doesn't understand how to take risks.  Also, Kellyanne Conway, the White House adviser who invented the phrase "alternative facts", has quit just as Donald Trump's election campaign ramps up ahead of the November vote. She says she needs to spend more time with her family, as her own husband leads a Republican revolt against the President and her 15-year-old daughter says she wants emancipation from her parents. Columnist Matthew D'Ancona tells us her declared reasons for leaving may not be "the whole story" and she will be remembered not as the mastermind behind an extraordinary election win, but as the woman who ushered in the post-truth era.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The opening of Crossrail has been delayed yet again until the first half of 2022 with at least another £450 million added to the total bill. In yet another “deeply disappointing” setback, the team responsible for the 60-mile east-west route across London said social-distancing rules meant only half the normal number of workers could be on site. Conservative London Mayor candidate Shaun Bailey tells us Sadiq Khan needs to take control, and the new TfL Commissioner should be "put on blast".  The “breathtaking” £2,000,000,000,000 landmark was passed last month when the Treasury borrowed a further £26.7 billion to support the economy with emergency coronavirus measures such as the jobs furlough scheme. But the Evening Standard's Jonathan Prynn says the problems have been building for more than a decade.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

GCSE and A-level pupils are celebrating record grades, but half a million BTec students are still awaiting results and thousands of young people remain in the dark over places at sixth forms and universities. The Evening Standard's education editor Anna Davis says it'll be at least until next week before the results fiasco starts to clear up. Meanwhile, teachers have been telling her they just want to make sure the schools can re-open in September so none of their pupils have to go through this again.    And, live theatre has returned to London with the first performance of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park. In his review for the Evening Standard, our critic Nick Curtis says it felt like the "blood was flowing back into the capital's cultural veins". He joins the podcast to reveal what it's like sitting in an audience again, but warns other shows will still be impossible to put on while social distancing restrictions are in place.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A decision to hike train fares by 1.6% in January has been greeted with dismay by those who have been trying to encourage commuters to get out of their houses and back into offices. But the pandemic's led to a massive fall in the number of people using rail and that's caused millions of pounds to be lost from the network. Is there an alternative that will encourage people to get on trains, and not leave the system strapped for cash? We speak to Mike Hewitson from the Transport Focus watchdog, which wants new types of tickets created that will let people travel for the days they need without having to but weekly or annual season tickets.  And, Heathrow's to trial a coronavirus testing centre which the airport claims could end the need for people to quarantine for 14 days if they enter from a country off the UK's 'safe list'. There are already similar schemes running in places like Italy and Hong Kong, but will it work in the UK and should passengers have to foot the £150 bill to take the test? Travel consultant and commentator Paul Charles says it could make a massive difference to the struggling travel industry, but it will need government support to make it work. He also warns that at least one more country will be struck off the safe list this week.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Marks and Spencer is to cut 7,000 jobs over the next three months, and customers working from home is one of the reasons why. The company says there's been a "material shift" in trading, with its once strong sales in office wear taking a hammering because so few people are going back to their desks. Evening Standard city journalist Mark Shapland says it's not the only retailer to be hit hard by the change in working patterns caused by coronavirus, and warns a move towards home delivery of food with Ocado will face fierce competition from Amazon.  And, some analysts are saying Michelle Obama "stole the show" at the Democratic Convention last night. Her pre-recorded video streamed to audiences in the virtual event criticised Donald Trump by name, saying he's "in over his head" as President. Our comment editor Susannah Butter's been analysing the campaign strategies for both parties, and says deploying Miss Obama is a "smart move" by Joe Biden because she's mostly stayed out of politics since her family left the White House.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.