The Standard’s latest special report reveals the dark truth behind Dubai , as thousands of Londoners are flocking to the Middle East city each year. Ninety per cent of its residents are from elsewhere, and the Gulf expert Christopher Davidson referred to it as the “ultimate liberal economic city state”, which offers the allure of low taxation and cheap labour. But what lies beneath the wealth and glamour? Mustafa Qadri, founder and chief executive of the human and labour rights organisation Equi...
Nov 03, 2025•17 min
Prince Andrew will be stripped of all his titles, Buckingham Palace has confirmed, and will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. King Charles made the unprecedented statement last night, that he will no longer be able to live on the crown estate , and instead will move to a property on the Sandringham Estate. It follows mounting pressure over a string of scandals, the most damaging being Andrew’s relationship with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and a lleged sexual abuse of Virgi...
Oct 31, 2025•15 min
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed calls for an investigation into Chancellor Rachel Reeves, after it emerged she did not obtain the required “selective” rental licence for her £3,200-a-month Dulwich home when she moved into No 11 Downing Street following the election. In a letter to the prime minister, Reeves “sincerely” apologised for her “inadvertent error”, but the Tories have said she should be sacked. They cited Starmer’s argument after Boris Johnson’s fine for breaching Covid r...
Oct 30, 2025•17 min
Today Chancellor Rachel Reeves has insisted Britain can “defy” economic forecasts as she prepares to deliver another tough budget next month. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is expected to deal the Chancellor a further blow in November by downgrading its productivity forecasts for the British economy, leaving her trying to fill a gap in her plans of more than £20 billion. Some top economists have warned Reeves that increasing income tax or reducing public spending is her only option f...
Oct 29, 2025•16 min
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 misman...
Oct 28, 2025•16 min
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 ...
Oct 27, 2025•15 min
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 off...
Oct 24, 2025•17 min
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 Peo...
Oct 23, 2025•16 min
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 Ke...
Oct 22, 2025•17 min
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 ...
Oct 21, 2025•15 min
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...
Oct 20, 2025•17 min
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 coali...
Oct 18, 2025•14 min
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, In...
Oct 17, 2025•16 min
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 ...
Oct 16, 2025•16 min
Tube drivers have been offered an enhanced pay deal that could take their salaries to around £80,000 a year, The Standard can reveal. The proposal, which TfL describes as a “full and final offer”, will be available to all 16,500 London Underground staff, and would mean their wages will rise faster than the cost of living. The Standard’s City Hall Editor and Transport Editor Ross Lydall is here with the latest. And in part two, The Standard’s Food & Drink Writer Josh Barrie joins us to taste ...
Oct 15, 2025•16 min
The latest unemployment figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the jobless rate has risen to its highest level since the pandemic in 2021 - but analysts also say the jobs market is stabilising after a year of volatility. Meanwhile, wage growth in the UK cooled slightly over the summer, from 4.8 per cent to 4.7 per cent. Does this mean that getting a job is becoming harder? And how do these statistics play out in the capital? Joe Evans, a researcher at the Institute for Public ...
Oct 14, 2025•17 min
Today Israeli families are welcoming home hostages as hundreds of Palestinian detainees are freed , following Friday’s ceasefire agreement in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump addressed Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, and said that the “the war is over”, with today marking “a new beginning”. He then headed to Egypt for a peace summit with world leaders. Meanwhile, Irish deputy premier Simon Harris said the horrors, genocide and famine in Gaza cannot be forgotten, as he announced an ad...
Oct 13, 2025•16 min
On World Homeless Day, the government has announced a new £36.5 million funding package to help Londoners facing homelessness this winter. The money will be directed towards supporting families in temporary accommodation, and comes after London boroughs revealed they were collectively spending a staggering £5.5 million a day to tackle homelessness. The New Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern is here to discuss today’s announcement. And in part two, John Darlington, Director of Projects at the ...
Oct 10, 2025•17 min
Today, a story of murder, fraud and a fugitive on the run. This week’s special report explores the fascinating tale of city poster boy Anthony Constantinou, who became known as London’s Wolf of Wall Street . Despite amassing a huge fortune with all the trappings of success, he was charged with financial malpractice and sexual misconduct - a spectacular fall from grace. He appeared in the dock for the start of his trial, but then suddenly disappeared. Now he's at the centre of a worldwide manhunt...
Oct 09, 2025•16 min
Today Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has promised to abolish stamp duty tax if the Tories form the next government, which will be welcomed by many London buyers . Speaking at the Conservative party conference in Manchester, the embattled Tory leader thanked party members for ‘standing by’ her amid dire poll ratings, and announced a host of new proposed policies. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. And in part two, The Standard’s Commissioning Editor a...
Oct 08, 2025•15 min
Today is the second anniversary of Hamas’ deadly attacks on Israel, which took place on October 7, 2023, and killed 1,200 people, with a further 251 others taken hostage. We’re joined by Maoz Inon, an award-winning Israeli peace activist and co-author of the forthcoming book The future is peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land, who lost both his parents in the Hamas attack. It comes as UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned pro-Palestine student protests taking place today as unp...
Oct 07, 2025•16 min
Today, Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride has promised that the Conservatives would slash £47 billion from public spending as the party continues to battle dire poll ratings, with some surveys putting them in fourth place. Speaking at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester , he outlined a “radical plan to rebuild our economy”. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. And in part two, The Standard’s Celebrity Correspondent Tina Campbell joins us to disc...
Oct 06, 2025•15 min
London is rapidly expanding its electric vehicle infrastructure, with over 21,000 charging points across the city – nearly a third of the UK’s total. But to meet its 2030 net zero targets, London will need tens of thousands more, with significant investment required across all boroughs. Upcoming changes to the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, which would end EVs’ exemption from the congestion charge, risk slowing that progress. The Electric London coalition, following The Standard’s Leading the Charge ...
Oct 04, 2025•15 min
Today, we’re following the attack on worshippers at a Manchester synagogue during one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar. Amos Schonfield, British Jewish Community activist and leader, joins us to share the devastation it’s caused in the Jewish community. And in part two, The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block joins us to review the much-anticipated 12th album from pop megastar Taylor Swift , The Life of a Showgirl, which is expected to top charts around the world. Hosted on Acast. Se...
Oct 03, 2025•17 min
Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley has apologised after serving officers called for immigrants to be shot, revelled in the use of force and were dismissive of rape claims in an undercover BBC documentary , which was aired on Wednesday night. He said the behaviour of some at Charing Cross Police exposed by Panorama is “reprehensible and completely unacceptable” - but he denied that the Met Police is institutionally racist. Dr Aaron Winter, a senior lecturer in sociology at Lancaster University, ...
Oct 02, 2025•16 min
Today, on the final day of the Labour Party Conference, Sir Keir Starmer has signalled that his government is planning to change the way human rights laws are applied to tackle the challenge of “mass migration” . The Prime Minister says he won’t ‘tear down’ international laws but says a rethink is needed on how they are applied. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. And in part two, The Standard’s News Reporter Megan Howe joins us to discuss the la...
Oct 01, 2025•15 min
Today Donald Trump’s newly unveiled peace plan for Gaza has already been hailed by some world leaders as the best chance to end Israel’s war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threw his support behind it at a joint press conference with the US President - and it has been backed by a number of Arab nations including Qatar and Egypt. But is it a viable solution to ending the conflict? David Wearing, an Assistant Professor in International Relations at the University of Sussex, and expert o...
Sep 30, 2025•17 min
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has branded Nigel Farage’s agenda the “single greatest threat” to British people’s livelihoods at her Labour Party Conference speech in Liverpool. She vowed to stand by Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise taxes on working people - but has left the door open to changing VAT rules. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. And in part two, author and podcast host Jack Guinness reflects on his family history after watching Netf...
Sep 29, 2025•16 min
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said plans for a new digital ID held on people’s phones will be an “enormous opportunity” for the UK and make working illegally tougher. Digital ID will become mandatory as a means of proving the right to work under the plans, which will come into place within the next few years. The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford joins us with the latest. And in part two, The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block is here to discuss whether Strictly C...
Sep 26, 2025•17 min
In this week’s special report, in the first of an exclusive three-part series, Noureddin Bongo tells The Standard’s Claudia Cockerell about his hell after his family were ousted in a coup in Gabon, Central Africa. And in part two, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is back with a period drama that applies his tried and tested formula to 19th-century Ireland . The Standard’s Culture Writer India Block joins us to review Netflix’s new show House of Guinness, which has been likened to familial sa...
Sep 25, 2025•17 min
