The Standard

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.

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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.

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The Standard can reveal a new interactive map that pinpoints London’s violent crime hotspots, as latest figures show the capital still accounts for almost a third of knife offences in England and Wales. Billy Gazard, of the ONS, said the data for police-recorded crime “paints a mixed picture”, adding: “Homicide and offences involving knives and guns have all fallen in the past year. While shoplifting continues to rise year on year, there are signs the rate of increase in reporting of these offences is slowing.” The Standard’s Crime Correspondent Anthony France is here with the latest. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block joins us to discuss Lily Allen’s new album, West End Girl. It’s the pop star’s first album in seven years and offers a lyrical takedown of her ex, David Harbour, that does not pull any punches.

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Storm Benjamin hit the UK with gale force winds causing travel disruption, and serious flooding feared. Yellow weather warnings were put in place for London, the south of England, and the east Midlands, Yorkshire and parts of Wales. The Met Office said flooding, damage to buildings and travel disruption was likely throughout the day. It comes as a new report has revealed the London boroughs most likely to be impacted by flood damage. Louis Ramirez, Managing Director and Co-founder of Flooded People is here to discuss how these weather events are becoming more common and what action should be taken to mitigate the risks. 

And in part two, freelance journalist Arielle Domb joins us to discuss what the 6-7 meme is and why teachers are fed up of it.

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The Standard’s exclusive investigation on London’s harrowing grooming gang epidemic uncovers the repeated story of vulnerable youngsters let down by the authorities there to protect them. The Standard has spoken to social workers, charities, experts and survivors who all say sexual abuse by gangs is ubiquitous across the capital. 

Previously, London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan was accused of “stonewalling” questions about whether London has a problem with so-called “grooming gangs” - whilst today Sir Keir Starmer has defended the government’s grooming inquiry.

From police failure to institutional cover-up and establishment silence, The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest.

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We speak to Melanie McDonagh, who has reviewed Virginia Giuffre's memoir, Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice.

Giuffre's book gives an account of her two-year ordeal as a sexual victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Melanie walks us through the memoir and reveals whether it shares new revelations on Epstein and Ghislaine's case, and what specific claims Virginia makes about her alleged encounters with Prince Andrew.

To read Melanie's full review, click here.

In part two, is £3.95 pasta worth twirling your fork for?

Pastino is expanding with a new venue opening next month, offering some eye-catching prices. But does the quality match the price? We find out more from The Standard's food and drink journalist, Josh Barrie.

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As the Chagos Islands deal returns to the Commons, the Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent, Rachael Burford, joins us to explain how the influx of islanders from the remote archipelago has left Hillingdon council in crisis. The Chagos Islands have been the subject of a long-running legal dispute between the UK and Mauritius. This week’s special report explains how in 2022, those born on Chagos and their children were offered full British citizenship, as a small gesture towards acknowledging historical wrongs. But with more families expected to arrive in the capital, the financial strain is forcing difficult choices. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Chief Restaurant Critic and Going Out Editor David Ellis is here to reveal this week’s Hidden London destination - the cigar merchant JJ Fox, which for more than 240 years has drawn the great and the good, from Winston Churchill to Oscar Wilde.

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Londoners have been told for years to go electric – and many listened. Families swapped their cars for EVs on the school run. Small businesses invested in electric vans. Thousands of Uber drivers made the switch to cut emissions and costs.

But with the Cleaner Vehicle Discount ending this Christmas, those same drivers and households will soon face new daily charges of up to £13.50 to enter central London. For many, that feels less like progress and more like punishment.

The Electric London coalition, following The Standard’s Leading the Charge campaign, is calling on Mayor Sadiq Khan to reverse the decision to scrap EVs’ exemption from the congestion charge.

In this final episode, The Standard's Business Editor Jonathan Prynn speaks with Andrew Brem, UK General Manager at Uber, and Steve Garelick from the GMB Union, to hear how professional drivers, small businesses and ordinary Londoners will be affected – and what this policy shift means for trust, fairness, and the future of London’s clean air.

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Today discussions to resolve the ban on fans of an Israeli football club attending a match against Aston Villa are happening “at pace, across government”, Downing Street has insisted. Sir Keir Starmer was “angered by the decision” to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from next month’s Europa League game in Birmingham amid public safety fears, and linked it to antisemitism. But West Midlands Police said it supported the decision, saying it had classified the fixture as “high-risk”. Emily Hilton, International Policy Director for the Jewish led organisation Diaspora Alliance, joins us to discuss.

And in part two, The Standard’s Nick Kimberley is here to review the English National Opera’s Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten, which is the first show to be staged since the company’s new ‘twin city’ existence between London and Manchester.

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Sir Keir Starmer is facing fresh questions over the China spying case after several newly released key witness statements raised further concerns about national security. The case in question relates to Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, two suspected spies accused of allegedly passing sensitive data to Chinese intelligence. Meanwhile, the MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum has warned that ‘Chinese state actors’ present a national security threat to the UK every day. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. 

And in part two, The Standard’s Business Editor Jonathan Prynn is here to discuss the return of carvery trolleys to London’s fine dining scene. 

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