The Standard

The Evening Standard’s deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil joins the show to look at the impact of Dominic Cummings’ appearance before MPs on the health and science select committees. The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has hit back against the former No10 senior adviser who on Wednesday delivered a devastating verdict on the Government’s handling of the pandemic.

Boris Johnson, who faced claims that he was unfit for office, denied Mr Cummings’ assertion that Government failings had resulted in tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths. But Nicholas tells us two of Britain’s leading coronavirus experts, Professor Neil Ferguson and Professor John Edmunds, backed up Mr Cummings’s central charge against the Government, that delays over imposing lockdowns were partly to blame for the high death toll.

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Evening Standard columnist Ayesha Hazarika discusses Dominic Cumming’s extraordinary evidence to MPs on the Commons Health and Science committees.

The former advisor to Boris Johnson claims the Prime Minister offered to be injected with coronavirus on TV to show how it was harmless and got distracted by his fiancée “going crackers” over a newspaper story about their dog. He also says Health Secretary Matt Hancock should have been sacked for “lying to everybody in multiple occasions, in meeting after meeting in the Cabinet room and publicly.” 

Ayesha says Mr Cummings’ allegations are “more than just bad blood and revenge” for being sacked and merit further investigation.

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A Cabinet minister has told people “don’t travel to and from Hounslow” and seven other areas in England - unless it is an essential journey - to stop the spread of the Indian Covid-19 variant. Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey also appeared to suggest people living in the borough should consider whether a half-term holiday abroad "really is essential". 

The Evening Standard's deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says the government guidance has come as a surprise to the local council and health chiefs, who say it's adding to confusion around lockdown restrictions. He also tells us Sadiq Khan has asked whether advice not to travel to and from Hounslow apart from essential journeys could have an impact on Heathrow airport. 

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The Evening Standard’s Royal Editor Robert Jobson tells us about the reaction inside Buckingham Palace following a report that found Princess Diana’s 1995 Panorama interview was obtained through “deceit”.

He explains why it was Prince William who recorded the royal family’s statement on the Dyson inquiry, and not his father Prince Charles. But Robert also tells us he disagrees with William over the “legitimacy” of the interview, arguing Princess Diana knew what she was saying and banning it from ever being shown again would “silence her”.

The report found Journalist Martin Bashir, who carried out the interview, was in “serious breach” of the BBC’s producer guidelines by obtaining faked bank statements and showing them to Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother, to gain access to the princess.

Mr Bashir has apologised for faking the documents and said it was “an action I deeply regret”, but maintains it had “no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview”.

Also, Lizzie Edmonds looks at Prince Harry’s new documentary series with Oprah Winfrey, The Me You Can’t See. He’s using it to highlight mental health issues, but he’s making more revelations about life as a royal. 

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Travel journalist Simon Calder joins us from Clapham Junction to break down how a massive overhaul of train services will affect commuters and travellers. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced a new publicly-owned body, Great British Railways, which will bring trains and track under one roof, set prices and mark the end of the franchise system.

Simon tells us the new system should see action taken against delays, but he thinks ticket prices are “very unlikely” to come down because of the way it’s being set up. He also talks about a possible review of the foreign travel traffic light system which has relatively few countries on the green list, and unclear advice about whether people should go to places on the amber one. 

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The Evening Standard’s political editor Joe Murphy tries to explain the government’s conflicting advice over countries on the coronavirus amber list. Some ministers say you shouldn’t go to them for holidays, while others say it’s more of a guideline than a rule. Meanwhile, thousands of people are snapping up bargain flights to places like Greece, which is on the amber list.

Also, arts correspondent Rob Dex tells us how the Evening Standard has joined forces with Netflix to launch a storytelling festival and give a new generation the chance to find their voice.

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The Prime Minister’s urging everyone eligible for a coronavirus vaccine jab to get one, as the Indian variant continues its spread in parts of England. The government doesn’t appear to be ruling out local lockdowns to stop the mutation, and Boris Johnson would only say he’s still looking at the data when asked if the June 21st “freedom” date could be delayed.

Meanwhile, there’s confusion over the new traffic light foreign travel system following health secretary Matt Hancock advising people not to go to countries on the amber list for holidays. The Evening Standard’s deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil joins the show to decipher what’s going on, and give medical expert’s advice on the Indian variant’s spread in London.

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Some of the Evening Standard’s top culture, restaurant, bar and travel critics join the podcast to give their advice on where people should go in London as lockdown restrictions are eased further. 

Nancy Durrant tells us what the Theatre Royal Drury Lane’s doing to entice people back with not just a show, but an all day experience. 

Suzannah Ramsdale says some of the city’s best hotels have revamped their offerings to lure staycationers in with incentives like ‘Sleep Concierges’ for those struggling with insomnia. 

Our Reveller editor David Ellis reveals how pubs and restaurants have been using the outdoor restrictions to get staff back up to speed and ready for indoor service. 

And the Evening Standard’s consumer business editor Jonathan Prynn details how the economy’s expected to get a jump start as those who have been stuck in the house for so long can finally venture outside. 

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