Thousands of patients across London will now have access to urgent dental appointments as the Government begins efforts to rebuild NHS dentistry . However, leaders in the profession insist ministers should have “fired the starting gun” last summer. To learn more, we’re joined by Len D’Cruz from the British Dental Association, a practice owner and dentist in Woodford Green, East London. He explains the harrowing situations he has witnessed, including cases of DIY dentistry. In part two, The Londo...
Feb 21, 2025•12 min
Why do Koreans live longer than the rest of us? According to research from Imperial College London, South Korea is on track to lead the world in longevity, with average life expectancy set to exceed 90 years. So what’s their secret? In today’s episode, Nicola Barron is joined by Michelle Jungmin Bang, author of Sun and Ssukgat: The Korean Art of Self-Care, Wellness, and Longevity . Michelle shares insights into the Korean approach to well-being, from the role of tradition and sustainability to t...
Feb 20, 2025•15 min
Rachelle Abbott joins The London Standard’s business editor Jonathan Prynn as the rate of UK inflation jumped to 3% in January , in a blow to hopes of early further interest rate cuts. The rise on Wednesday exceeded expectations, with City forecasters predicting inflation to be 2.8%. The Conservatives have accused Chancellor Rachel Reeves of being 'out of her depth' . So why have we seen such a rise? Who will feel the hit most, what does this mean for interest rates, and when do we expect inflat...
Feb 19, 2025•11 min
Talks today in Saudi Arabia saw the US and Russia discussing a peace deal to end Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine . Helena Wadia is joined by The London Standard’s Political Editor Nicholas Cecil, to discuss the aims of the talks and what we can expect going forward. The meeting was the first face-to-face discussion between the two countries since the war began in 2022. But who was involved in the peace talks? Crucially, not Ukraine. In part two, Rachelle Abbott and The London Standard’s Def...
Feb 18, 2025•15 min
Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced he'll raise penalty charge notices meaning some fines could hit £160. But why the hike? How will the money be used? And where do the fines apply? Rachelle Abbott's joined by The London Standard's City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall, to break down all you need to know. In part two, we explore the scents of ancient Egypt. Researchers from University College London and University of Ljubljana have uncovered the smells of nine mummified bodies. Dr Cecilia Bembib...
Feb 17, 2025•12 min
Birth rates are falling faster in London than the rest of the UK since the 2000s . To find out why, whether it’s a concern, and what can be done, Rachelle Abbott sits down with Kate Wills , who has been investigating the topic for The London Standard . Plus, we continue to celebrate some of the capital’s hidden gems. This week we turn to The Hill Garden and Pergola in Hampstead with John Darlington, director of projects for the World Monuments Fund. Is this the perfect spot for a Valentine's wee...
Feb 14, 2025•14 min
In today’s episode, Nicola Barron is joined by Will Storr—an acclaimed journalist, bestselling author, and storytelling guru. Will is widely regarded as one of the leading experts on how stories shape human behaviour, decisions, and relationships. In his latest book, A Story is a Deal , Will uncovers the hidden psychological contract between storytellers and their audiences. He explains why stories are so powerful, not just for entertainment, but for persuasion and connection. This episode is a ...
Feb 13, 2025•13 min
Heathrow boss Thomas Woldbye has announced the airport’s multi-billion pound investment to accelerate plans for a controversial new runway that began two decades ago. The privately-funded plan would see the airfield’s layout reconfigured, Terminals 2 and 5 enlarged, plus increased bus and coach capacity. The Labour government backed commencement of digging by 2029 to drive economic growth - but major environmental concern s over pollution, noise and quality of life remain, with fresh planning an...
Feb 12, 2025•14 min
Are you ready for next generation agentic artificial intelligence? The Standard podcast's Mark Blunden is joined from the AI Action Summit in Paris by Andrew Strait, associate director at the Ada Lovelace Institute and former ethics researcher at Google’s DeepMind AI spin-off. We look at the self-thinking technology’s latest developments , concerns over replacement of human workers, quantum computing and AI’s impact on our cognitive ability. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...
Feb 11, 2025•15 min
Labour party officials are investigating alleged racist and sexist comments in leaked WhatsApp group chat messages that culminated in the sacking of health minister Andrew Gwynne. Following the latest messaging-based scandal to hit the authorities, The Standard podcast's Mark Blunden is joined by Maurice Frankel, director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, to discuss the public’s right to know. In part two, World Monuments Fund’s UK chief executive John Darlington tells Rachelle Abbott ...
Feb 10, 2025•14 min
Hospital admissions data suggests a growing proportion of patients admitted to wards in England after being stabbed are under 18 years old. It comes amid growing calls to finally crack down on online blade sales and London actor Idris Elba backing the blunting of sharp tips on kitchen knives. The Standard podcast's Mark Blunden is joined by Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust , which was founded in honour of a 16-year-old Londoner stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack in ...
Feb 07, 2025•12 min
What is London’s heartbeat? Rachelle Abbott joins Emma Strain, customer director at Transport for London, to discuss how important diverse communities are to the capital. Emma also reveals their award-winning animated moquette design, titled ‘Fabric of London’, which tells real stories shared by Londoners, reflecting the vital role TfL plays in bringing people from all backgrounds together. Transport for London, VCCP and Wavemaker UK’s design is now available to view at Outernet, in this week’s ...
Feb 06, 2025•10 min
Research by the London Cycling Campaign has found more than half of the capital’s official cycleways include sections that are unsafe for women to use at night. The London Standard’s transport editor Ross Lydall joins Mark Blunden to discuss his report on the LCC’s Women’s Network study, which found 52 of the 89 cycleways had at least one “socially unsafe” section after dark - and that seven cycleways were considered risky along the entire route. In part two, we speak with the charity’s senior c...
Feb 05, 2025•11 min
Half a dozen cash-strapped local authorities in England have been told they will be allowed to raise council tax by more than five per cent this year in a bid to stave off bankruptcy. The London Standard’s chief political correspondent Rachael Burford reports the government signed off its final funding settlements for town halls and announced six authorities have been given permission to increase bills by larger than normal amounts - without holding a referendum. She joins us to discuss councils...
Feb 04, 2025•10 min
Britain rejects Donald Trump’s claim that trade between the US and UK is “out of line” . The president has hit several other countries with hefty tariffs. It comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Brussels to meet with EU leaders on Monday - a first for a British leader since Brexit. Has Trump sparked a trade war? We're joined by The London Standard's political editor, Nicholas Cecil, for the latest. In part two, Beyoncé extends run as most Grammy-awarded artist - wins include bes...
Feb 03, 2025•16 min
Join host Nicola Barron in conversation with Hayley Quinn , the London-based dating coach who has helped thousands of singles break out of dating ruts, build confidence, and enjoy meeting new people again. In this insightful episode, Hayley shares expert advice on how to approach dating in real life, avoid common first-date mistakes, and create genuine connections beyond the apps. Don't miss Hayley’s live online masterclass, How to Find the Love of Your Life – In Real Life , on Wednesday, 5th Fe...
Feb 01, 2025•15 min
It has been half a decade since the United Kingdom exited the European Union. But now, on Brexit’s fifth anniversary, a YouGov survey suggests 53 per cent of adults in Britain support going back into the European Union, with 36 per cent opposed - which in London grows to 64 per cent of respondents backing rejoining versus 25 per cent opposed. To discuss the UK’s national circumstances five years on, we’re joined by The London Standard’s political editor, Nicholas Cecil . In part two, scientists ...
Jan 31, 2025•11 min
Officials say there are no survivors after a plane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided mid-air with a US Army helicopter over Washington DC. American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, crashed into the Potomac River following the collision. The plane, a Bombardier CRJ700, was approaching Reagan Washington National Airport 9pm local time on Wednesday (2am GMT), when the collision occurred with a Black Hawk helicopter on a training exercise. Among the dead on board the co...
Jan 30, 2025•11 min
Rachel Reeves confirmed the government will support building a third runway at Heathrow in a major speech aimed to boost economic growth and jobs. But she is expected to face fierce opposition to expanding the west London airport from senior Labour colleagues, including Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan who posted immediately on X after the chancellor’s speech in Oxfordshire he remains against the plan. Also among the chancellor’s announcements in a “dash for growth” was government backing for the £9 billion...
Jan 29, 2025•13 min
The emergence of Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek has rocked US tech giants’ stocks over concerns the new low-cost generative AI model could topple their dominance. Tech shares plunged and chip maker Nvidia suffered falls of nearly 17 per cent as trading opened on Monday - and just a week after launch, DeepSeek became the most downloaded free app in the US. The twist is this huge language AI model made at a fraction of the cost of its rivals, reportedly around £5 million, including ...
Jan 28, 2025•12 min
London’s black cab drivers are famous for having a very active part of the brain that’s critical for mapping thousands of streets. By the time taxi students hop off their training moped and pass The Knowledge licence exam, a driver will have memorised over 26,000 of the capital’s roads thanks to how their posterior hippocampus region develops as a result. The international study, led by UCL neuroscientists, included quizzing London cabbies to examine how long it takes humans to compute the capit...
Jan 27, 2025•14 min
Scientists at London’s Natural History Museum have discovered mysterious giant mounds on Mars that are believed to be billions of years old. Examining high-resolution images and compositional data snapped by Martian orbiters and surface rovers, the team analysed over 15,000 of the geological features - many as big as Australia’s Uluru. We speak with Dr Joe McNeil, who led the study for his Open University PhD with results published in the journal Nature Geoscience. In part two, the best skincare...
Jan 25, 2025•10 min
Storm Eowyn smashed into the British Isles bringing record gusts of up to 100mph with millions of Britons urged not to travel and northern regions issued a rare ‘red’ risk-to-life warning. Tree toppled, causing road closures and more than 1,000 flights were cancelled at airports across the UK, with rail operators halting services and hundreds of schools closed in Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England. The Standard podcast hears about the super-storm’s causes from Met Office meteorologi...
Jan 24, 2025•15 min
The British cousin of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas in Gaza has described his family’s ongoing anguish ahead of a milestone update on the fate of the remaining captives this weekend. Adam Ma’anit, who’s from Brighton and is digital communication officer at the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told The Standard podcast they are hoping for news very soon about Tsachi Idan, who is among 94 remaining hostages. Idan, a 50-year-old IT worker, was dragged away from his kibbutz home after his 18-ye...
Jan 23, 2025•15 min
UK chancellor Rachel Reeves will bid for more investment in Britain as she travels to the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos this week. Reeves is expected to meet the heads of major international banks during her two-day Swiss visit to promote Britain’s fiscal credentials for the future. But it comes amid record government borrowing, government department cuts ahead and minuscule growth of just 0.1 per cent. The Standard podcast is joined by Ashwin Kumar, director of research and pol...
Jan 22, 2025•11 min
Join host Nicola Barron in conversation with David Larbi, the poet, writer, and musician who has built a million-strong community through his authentic takes on mindfulness across TikTok and Instagram. In this illuminating episode, David shares insights from his debut book Frequently Happy: 52 Mindful Moments to Bring Hope and Joy , exploring how we can find joy in everyday moments and use creativity to reconnect with ourselves. Don't miss David's live online workshop Frequently Happy: Exploring...
Jan 21, 2025•11 min
Donald Trump made an astonishing return to the White House on Monday when he was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. The inauguration, which took place at the US Capitol Rotunda building due -3C temperatures, follows four tumultuous years out of office which saw the 78-year-old Republican businessman and ex-reality star survive assassination attempts and face a series of legal cases. We asked Mike Rogers, chief security analyst west at US-based International SOS, about heightene...
Jan 20, 2025•14 min
The Israeli security cabinet has ratified an initial six-week deal with Hamas for a ceasefire in the war that will see some of the hostages held in Gaza being released. The breakthrough marks the cessation of 15 months of fighting since the Hamas terror attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023, and also brings hope of border crossings being reopened for aid to ease the Palestinian humanitarian crisis. The US-brokered ceasefire on Sunday will see the exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli ...
Jan 17, 2025•15 min
A damning report into the state of the NHS has revealed patients are dying in corridors and can go undiscovered for hours. The Royal College of Nursing published findings, based on the experiences of more than 5,000 UK nurses, into the state of care in England’s hospitals as staff try to manage the number of people needing care. The “harrowing” report comes amid soaring ambulance waiting times and tells of patients sitting for days in chairs due to a lack of beds, patients lying in corridors and...
Jan 16, 2025•11 min
The UK inflation rate unexpectedly fell slightly to 2.5 per cent in December in a surprise boost to embattled Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed a slight drop from 2.6 per cent in November and fell below City forecasts. It comes amid record government borrowing and falls in the pound over the past week. How does this all fit into the wider economic outlook, what might it signal for our shopping baskets - and what about the spectre of ‘stagflation’?...
Jan 15, 2025•14 min
