The Standard

The UK’s home-grown Covid vaccine is “highly effective” — and the first Britons are expected to receive it by the end of the year. Oxford University says its vaccine was found to be up to 90 per cent effective in preventing people falling seriously ill with coronavirus. Our deputy political editor says rollout is due to begin "within weeks" but the government has a job on its hands to make sure everyone who should take it actually does. 

Also, London appears to be heading for a return to Tier 2 restrictions when lockdown ends - but it'll feel like Tier 3. Pubs and restaurants are still due to face strict new measures, with businesses in Tier 2 having to serve sit-down meals with any drinks. That's not good news for bars like the Dodo Micropub in Ealing, which doesn't serve meals. Its bos, Lucy Do, tells us that it's "the worst" outcome for them at the end of a heartbreaking year. 

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Leading music industry figures are issuing an urgent plea to protect small venues facing collapse amid the pandemic. The coronavirus and lockdown measures have forced scores of live music homes in London to temporarily close since March. The CEO of the Music Venue Trust, Mark Davyd, tells us seven sites in London are now on red alert, with permanent closure imminent if action isn't taken. He says they've launched the #SaveOurVenuesCampaign to encourage the public to help. 

We also speak to Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones, whose band was supposed to be playing in Brixton this month as part of their 25th anniversary tour. He tells us about the London gig that led to them being signed in the first place. He also reveals how he persuaded acts like Belle and Sebastian and the Proclaimers to let their out of work crews re-record classic hits for the "Whole Lotta Roadies" album, which is raising awareness and money for a hardship fund to help the behind-the-scenes gig workers who haven't had a job for nearly a year. 

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The Covid vaccine being made by Oxford university is safe and works well in older adults most likely to become seriously ill or die from the virus, its creators revealed today. In another major boost for hopes of bringing the pandemic to heel, they said the preliminary results for the UK’s main vaccine hope were “encouraging”. Our health editor Ross Lydall says there's optimism it will lead to elderly people currently forced to shelter finally getting to see their families again. He also says the injection seems to hurt older people less than younger ones. 

And, we speak to tech reviewer Tomi Adebayo - Gadgetsboy - about the new PS5 which has finally hit the shops, with the rush so great some stores saw their websites crash. He tells us how the new console is a huge leap in graphics, but you might have to shell out a small fortune on a TV to see all their benefits. 

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Families may be able to mix in “bubbles” at Christmas under plans for a brief relaxation of coronavirus restrictions over the festive period, according to reports. It comes as data shows the number of new cases in London appears to be stabilising and the R transmission figure heads towards 'one' in parts of England. But how would it work and would the risk of a post-festive season spike be worth it? We speak to MIND's CEO Paul Farmer who is imploring the government to consider the nation's mental health when making decisions, as he reveals the toll two lockdowns have had on the country. 

Also, it's emerged Dolly Parton is one of the funders behind the Moderna coronavirus vaccine, which has a 95% efficacy rate. Country music columnist Shiona McCallum tells us it's just one of the many philanthropic acts the singer performs every year from book donations to secretly producing the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show. 

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Mouthwash can kill coronavirus within 30 seconds of being exposed to it in a laboratory, a scientific study has found. The preliminary result comes ahead of a clinical trial into whether using over-the-counter mouthwash could to reduce the levels of Covid-19 in a patient's saliva. We speak to Professor Damien Walmsley, from the British Dental Association, who says the latest research from Cardiff University now joins a growing body of evidence that mouthwash can kill coronavirus. He explains how it works, and why the government should include dental hygiene in its anti-Covid messaging. 

Also, Barack Obama's revealed the 'Presidential Playlist' he says he used to get him through his time in the Oval Office. With tracks like Aretha Franklin's 'The Weight' and BB King's 'The Thrill is Gone' has he revealed what it's really like to be President? We talk to Professor John Street who has written a book on the connection between music and politics. He tells us how global leaders use their favourite tunes to help shape their public brand, and has anything like that Love Actually scene with Hugh Grant dancing in Downing Street ever really happened? 

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The Crown is already a huge success for Netflix, but the drama's being criticised for taking liberties with the truth. Some leading historians are concerned about how Prince Charles is being portrayed as the drama moves into the 80s and the arrival of Princess Diana. The Evening Standard's Katie Rosseinsky has watched all of season 4, and says the writers definitely use artistic license but argues they've never claimed to be making a documentary, and that's why it's such a hit.

Also, half a million children in London will go hungry in the run up to Christmas if nothing is done to help them, according to researchers at London South Bank University. The Evening Standard's launched a campaign to make sure everyone gets fed this festive season. Working with charity partners Food for London Now is getting hot meals to the capital. Leon Aarts, from the With Compassion charity, tells us how they saw huge demand for help when they set up just two days after the first lockdown began. 

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Dominic Cummings has left Downing Street, but will he really have no influence over the government in future? We speak to Peter Cardwell, a former special advisor who worked with, and was fired by, Mr Cummings to find out what he's really like and what his legacy will be. Peter tells us Boris Johnson now has an opportunity to "reset Downing Street" and predicts a big reshuffle. 

Also, Evening Standard political reporter Sophia Sleigh gives us the reaction from Westminster. Who's being lined up as a potential replacement, and what will a new approach for the government actually look like? 

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A row over a statue dedicated to feminist icon Mary Wollstonecraft is continuing, with protesters now covering up the silver sculpture featuring a naked woman in London. The artist behind it, Maggi Hambling, has told the Evening Standard she thinks some people are "missing the point", and it does have its defenders. We speak to historian Dr Christina Faraday who tells us why she thinks it works as a thought-provoking piece of art, and says there are lots of statues of naked men out there, too. 

And, Joe Wicks has told the Evening Standard he's "tired" as he picks up his PE classes for children in the second lockdown. The body coach has spoken to Susannah Butter, who tells us how the new level of stardom he achieved the first time round has led to him looking for more control and privacy in his life. She also says he's determined to carry on, taking on an exhausting challenge for Children in Need which will see him exercise for 24 hours, with just short breaks to go to the toilet and eat. 

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock's confirmed the UK's coronavirus vaccination programme could begin "from the start of December", but our deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says it won't be available to everyone straight away. He also says a second vaccine, being researched in Oxford, could be just weeks away from being ready. As the world breathes a sigh of relief with the end of the coronavirus era in sight, Nicholas warns the UK government says it's not over yet. 

And, it's been widely reported that Dominic West’s marriage to Catherine Fitzgerald is “as good as over”. The 51-year-old star of the Affair is said to have admitted his “feelings” for 31-year-old actress Lilly James. The Evening Standard's Katie Law says the story of an older man leaving for a younger woman has been told many times, but in the modern age it's the wife who turns out to be the big winner. 

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