The Leader | Evening Standard daily

Headteachers have been telling the Evening Standard how the coronavirus lockdown is having a "severe impact" on the country's children.  Sleep loss, silence, and appearing withdrawn or sad are just some of the manifestations of the mental strain that has been placed upon some, while teachers say that others had not even picked up a pen or book since their schools were shut. Our education editor Anna Davis talks to us about her investigation, and why the government needs to intervene to help the most vulnerable.  Also, one of the country's top west end producers joins the podcast to talk about the £1.5bn lifeline the government's giving the arts industries. Sonia Friedman, whose company is behind hits including the Book of Mormon and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, explains why she's "immensely grateful" for cash she hopes will save the culture sector, but also reveals concerns over how and when it will be handed out.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

London is set to reopen but London mayor Sadiq Khan warns this isn’t a time to celebrate. He tells The Leader podcast that while Londoners should go out and enjoy the city on Saturday, it's crucial to remember that the threat of Covid-19 is still very real and social distancing must be respected. What will happen if we don’t? We also speak to Professor Karol Sikora who tells us exactly what the consequences will be. And, Ghislaine Maxwell is facing charges over allegations she helped Jeffrey Epstein 'identify and befriend and groom girls’. Evening Standard columnist and former acquaintance Anne McElvoy says she remembers Ghislaine in the 80s a British socialite with bullet-proof confidence. She tells us whether there was any sense then that Ghislaine was wrapped up in another world with Epstein.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In an exclusive interview with the Evening Standard’s new editor, Emily Sheffield, Boris Johnson warned Britain: the furlough scheme cannot go on. He said an extension to the scheme, which is keeping 9.3 million people in ‘suspended animation’, wouldn’t be healthy for the economy - or for us. But Ms. Sheffield tells The Leader podcast the PM revealed there’s more big spending to come as the country emerges from the pandemic.  And, we introduce you to the Evening Standard’s new editor. Emily Sheffield is returning to the paper after a period as British Vogue’s deputy editor and launching female-led digital news brand ThisMuchIKnow. She says this is a period of great innovation and change and she’s here to make the most of it.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If a Leicester-style Covid-19 outbreak hits London, town halls are warning they need more information on how they could enforce a local lockdown. Mayor Sadiq Khan says London isn’t ready for a second surge, and if one hits, more people could lose their lives. The Evening Standard’s Nicholas Cecil has pieced together what plans are in place to stop a surge spiralling out of control, but tells us public health chiefs are operating in the dark. And, a list of air bridges with the UK is set to be released this week and airlines are already ramping up their flight schedules. So does this mean summer is saved? Abta’s Sean Tipton tells us we’re likely to see a boom in out-of-season travel.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Leicester became the UK’s first city to experience a local lockdown just as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his ‘New Deal’ plan to soften the blow to Britain’s economy post-pandemic. What does a new surge in coronavirus cases mean for the heath of the Midlands city’s businesses? We spoke to local hair salon owner Barrie Stephen who says after weeks of intense preparation and thousands of pounds spent, the news is devastating. And, the National Gallery is set to re-open its doors - the first of the museums and galleries to do so as lockdown measures in England begin to ease. Director Gabriele Finaldi says this is a big moment not just for him, but for the recovery of the nation. Arts editor Nancy Durrant spoke with him for a piece in today’s Evening Standard, she tells us what visitors can expect when they visit next week.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The city of Leicester is facing two more weeks of lockdown as the rest of England prepares to head to the pub this weekend. Boris Johnson says this is part of the government’s new ‘whack-a-mole’ approach to deal with local flare ups of coronavirus. But if London’s hit, what would a lockdown look like? The Institute for Government’s Alex Thomas tells us it's complicated.  And, Sir Mark Sedwill, the government's top civil servant and National Security Advisor has been forced out of both his roles. Chief Brexit negotiator David Frost has taken up position as NSA, which the Evening Standard’s Joe Murphy says has some former top mandarins worried - but who will fill his spot at the heart of Number 10?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

More than 140 police officers have been injured in the last three weeks trying to break up massive illegal street parties across London. They're struggling to control the crowds of hundreds gathering in places like Brixton, Streatham and Notting Hill to party until the early hours of the morning. Met Commissioner Cressida Dick's warning people to "cool it," but Evening Standard journalist John Dunne says that will be difficult as the sun comes out and lockdown restrictions ease. Also, Labour's at war with itself again following the sacking of Rebecca Long-Bailey. Leader Sir Keir Starmer's had a tense confrontation with left-wingers including Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott, who are calling for the former shadow education secretary to be reinstated. A petition supporting Ms Long-Bailey's also passed its 10,000 signature target. Evening Standard columnist Ayesha Hazarika tells us why Sir Keir is standing firm in his decision.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A trove of documents, emails and text messages that was supposed to clear Robert Jenrick of allegations he did billionaire Richard Desmond a favour over a planning decision has done anything but. Questions are being raised about the Housing Secretary’s relationship with the businessman, who was complaining about “Marxists” plotting against his plans to build 1,500 homes at Westferry in East London.  The Evening Standard's political editor Joe Murphy joins the podcast to talk about new documents he's seen covering the affair.  Also, holiday operators are reporting a sudden surge in bookings for Mediterranean villas offering “privacy and space” following reports that air bridges to leading European destinations will be available from next week. A scramble to save a peak summer season worth up to £20 billion is under way ahead of an expected formal announcement on Monday that the much criticised quarantine rules for travellers returning to Britain will start to be eased. Travel journalist Simon Calder, though, says it's too little too late.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After the big announcement, the government’s now delivering the details on how lockdown will be eased on July 4th. Guidance has been dispatched to businesses affected , including things like telling pubs to warn customers police can be called if they’re not socially distancing. But as the advice was being delivered, some of the country's top health bosses released a letter warning the UK needs a review of preparedness for a second peak of the infection. We speak to BMA chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul who says around 40% of doctors say they couldn't cope with having to do it all again. Also, parts of the UK have seen temperatures above 30c as a heatwave spreads around the country. Could it last until the lockdown restrictions are lifted, or is there stormy weather ahead? Forecaster Jo Farrow, from Netweather, tells us what's happening and how long it will last for.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

MPs were so excited to hear Boris Johnson say pubs will re-open, they shouted "Hallelujah" in the Commons. Museums and art galleries have the green light too. But after more than three months in lockdown, how many will be ready to welcome people by July 4th, and how many people will actually go? The Evening Standard's Lizzie Edmonds says many of London's top tourist attractions are worried the pandemic's effects will last even longer than lockdown itself.  Also, it can't be said for certain that coronavirus came from a wet market in Wuhan but most scientists have it at the very top of a short list of suspects. The trade is supplied by a huge international operation, much of it run by organised crime, making large amounts of money from cruelty to animals. The Evening Standard's begun a campaign to end the illegal wildlife trade, and teamed up with conservation group Space for Giants. Their CEO Dr Max Graham tells us how the supply chain works, and the global effort that will be needed to stop it.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Home Secretary Priti Patel's visited the Reading park where three people were killed and three more injured in what's being investigated as a terror attack at the weekend. 25-year-old Khairi Saadallah, a Libyan refugee, is in custody. It's reported he was known to MI5, but the Evening Standard's Home Affairs editor Martin Bentham says coronavirus lockdown restrictions have made it harder to investigate potential threats in the UK.  It's 72 years since the  HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilsbury docks in Essex, carrying the first people who would become what's known as the 'Windrush Generation'. In 2018, they were at the centre of an immigration row when, despite being given the lifelong right to remain in the UK, at least 83 people were wrongly deported. We speak to former shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott who tells us lessons are still to be learned.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The last big hurdle to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plan to switch to step two of the UK’s roadmap to recovery has cleared with the coronavirus alert level dropping. It means pubs and restaurants will open next month and there’s even suggestions the two metre rule could be reduced to one metre. London School for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine researcher and Director at March for Change Dr Mike Galsworthy tells us what it means for Britons as we ease out of lockdown.  And, the creative industry has been one of the hardest hit by the global pandemic. In the UK, losses could reach £1.4 billion a week. In the Evening Standard, the boss of the Creative Industries Federation Caroline Norbury says artists are vital in times of darkness for providing respite and resilience, and the delicate economy that supports them must be protected. She tells us what big thinking - and some imagination - could do to help prevent a cultural catastrophe.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The ‘force’s sweetheart’, Dame Vera Lynn, has died aged 103. She became a symbol of hope and inspiration for those on the front line of World War Two, and again this year, when the Queen evoked the lyrics in her beloved song ‘we will meet again’ as she rallied the nation in the face of a global pandemic. The head of the Armed Forces charity SSAFA, Sir Andrew Gregory, tells us how Dame Vera’s charm spanned generations. And, the Duchess of Cambridge has a message for the nation’s children as they prepare to return to school: your feelings of frustrations will pass, be kind to one another. She’s tapped in to a serious message from the Harris Federation, who have noticed children are withdrawn and even frightened of returning to the classroom. Director of secondary education Carolyn English tells us this only adds to the argument for schools to reopen quickly.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Al-fresco dining is set to bring back the buzz to London’s famed West End. Pubs, cafes and restaurants will spill out onto the streets over the summer, reviving spending and lifting the city’s spirits. Soho Estate’s John James has led the charge to get the district back up and running, and says he’s delighted Westminster City has heard their calls.  And, football’s back after 100 days, but now the world looks very different. The Premier League is grappling with how to keep players safe during a pandemic, and it is facing calls, sparked by the Black Lives Matters protests, to make deeper changes to the sport. The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick tells us what fans can expect from kick off tonight.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Boris Johnson's made a hasty u-turn on providing free school meals this Summer after a campaign by Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford sounded the death knell for the policy. Now, 1.3 million children will have access to meal vouchers over the school holidays, something the Government has never provided before. The Evening Standard’s Joe Murphy tells us how Rashford struck a chord even with those in the PM’s own party.  And, Royal Ascot is racing behind closed doors this week for the first time in its 250 year history. Even the Queen will be watching from Windsor Castle - the first time she’s not attended since her coronation. But, can the event still be the same without royalty and the hundreds of thousands of spectators, dressed in their finest? Director of racing Nick Smith says there’s still plenty of ways to get involved in the fanfare from home.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.