The Leader | Evening Standard daily

Buckingham Palace is struggling to contain the fallout from a series of bombshell allegations from Harry and Meghan in their much-anticipated interview with Oprah Winfrey. The monarchy has been plunged into crisis as the Duchess of Sussex alleged that a member of the royal family had raised “concerns” when she was pregnant about how dark her son Archie’s skin would be. Meghan also told how life as a working royal had taken her to the brink of suicide. Evening Standard columnist, and senior editor of the Economist, Anne McElvoy joins the podcast to talk about how damaging the allegations could be, and what Buckingham Palace needs to do next to recover? The interview was shown in the States on Sunday night and will be broadcast in the UK on ITV at 9pm tonight and ITV Hub. Clips in the podcast are courtesy of Harpo Productions/CBS.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil joins the podcast following his story revealing how several Tory MPs have joined the backlash against the government's once percent pay rise offer for NHS workers.  Among them is former health minister Dr Dan Poulter MP, who as a doctor has been working on the frontline in a central London hospital during the pandemic.  He told The Standard the Government should consider an inflation-matching pay rise and a one-off payment of at least two percent of salary to recognise the extraordinary work done by NHS staff in the last year. Meanwhile, rumblings of industrial action are beginning to mount, and current health minister Nadine Dorries has suggested the government might "move" on the pay issue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Another clip from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's upcoming interview with Oprah has been released, and for the first time it features Meghan speaking. The bombshell 30-second preview of Sunday's show features her accusing what she calls 'The Firm' of "perpetuating falsehoods" against her and Harry. It comes as Buckingham Palace confirms it's investigating allegations Meghan bullied some staff in October 2018.  Lawyers for the Sussexes dismissed the claims as “a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful information”. The Evening Standard's Jonathan Prynn tells us it looks like a very big row is about to erupt.    Also, our City Hall editor Ross Lydall was at Sadiq Khan's re-election campaign launch, which didn't quite go to plan. The mayor was forced to hole-up inside a coffee shop for an hour to avoid a small group of residents protesting about a transport scheme. Ross says Mr. Khan was then followed down the street by the group as he made his way to a waiting car.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Former Treasury worker, now Evening Standard journalist, Jack Kessler joins the podcast to reveal the thinking behind some of Rishi Sunak's big announcements. He tells us why income and corporation tax hikes are coming, and why they're being delayed. He also explains why successive budgets have seen freezes on fuel duty, including this one.    Rishi Sunak's moment in the Commons came just a few months after Britain left the EU, but the word "Brexit" didn't appear at all in his speech. Jack says that's because announcements like the 'super deduction' business tax cut would be dwarfed by what's been lost through leaving the world's biggest trading bloc without a deal covering services.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There are two major events taking place on Wednesday that will both contribute to the survival of the culture industries once lockdown is over. The first is an expected £400m budget announcement by chancellor Rishi Sunak, which will see even more money invested into the Culture Recovery Fund, along with cash for museums and venues to stay afloat until they can re-open in May.  In the evening, the Evening Standard will be revealing the first recipients of the Future Theatre Fund which was created in association with Tik Tok and in partnership with the National Youth Theatre. 12 up-and-coming talents will receive £10,000 each. The NYT's chief executive and artistic director Paul Roseby joins the podcast to talk about how theatres have been navigating the pandemic, and how important it is that young people who have lost so many opportunities for stage work need to be supported.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The hunt has intensified for an unknown carrier of a new Brazilian mutation of Covid-19 as scientists warned that if it takes hold it could undermine the roadmap out of lockdown. It was revealed on Sunday that six cases of the new Manaus variant of coronavirus, which is more contagious and may be more resistant to vaccines, have been found in Britain, three in England and three in Scotland.   Our political reporter Sophia Sleigh says questions are being raised over how the variant from the Brazilian city was identified in a Covid-19 test of someone who did not fill in a registration form with their name and details.   Also, royal editor Robert Jobson joins the podcast as it's revealed the Duke of Edinburgh has transferred hospitals for treatment for an infection. It's now the longest spell the 99 year old has spent in hospital and it comes as controversy brews around an interview Prince Harry and Meghan have given to Oprah Winfrey that's due to air in the States on Sunday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Prince Harry’s appeared on the Late Late Show with James Corden, and revealed how his mental health was “being destroyed” by the UK media before he and Meghan left for LA. The chat, recorded before the couple announced they would never re-join the royal family, is being described as a “bombshell interview” and comes ahead of the highly anticipated conversation with Oprah. But it’s come out on the same day the Queen was recorded talking to NHS professionals about her own coronavirus vaccination, and encouraging all Britons to get the jab. The Evening Standard’s Lizzie Edmonds says that’s a rare intervention by the Monarch, but with so much attention being given to Harry’s interview it may not have the impact it was expected to. Lizzie says it’s an early example of how difficult the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s relationship with Buckingham Palace could become as they try to carve out a post-Royal future. Also, our city editor Jim Armitage joins the show to talk about the future of office working once London’s unlocked. It follows the first meeting of the Evening Standard’s Recovery Board, which saw industry leaders discussing how the city will have to change in a post-pandemic world.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This summer's exams have been cancelled and teachers will now assess their pupils based on coursework, essays and optional in-class tests. That's led to concerns about consistency across the country, with Robert Halfon, the Tory chair of the cross-party Education select committee, telling the Standard he's worried about a "wild west" of grading results.    On the Leader podcast we speak to Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School & College Leaders (ASCL). He tells us that they're expecting pressure from some parents to give their kids a better grade, but there are systems in place to make it difficult for teachers to do so. He also warns of "consequences" if schools are caught fiddling the results, including having their grades rendered void.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dozens of streets across the West End will be closed to traffic from April to the end of September to turn them into alfresco dining boulevards. Westminster council bosses have decided to repeat last summer’s scheme when a total of 60 roads - including 17 in Soho alone - were transformed through temporary closures and pavement widening. Our consumer business editor Jonathan Prynn's on the podcast to explain how it'll all work while still being safe as London tries to encourage people to come back after lockdown.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Facebook's vice-president for northern Europe, Steve Hatch, joins the show to discuss the social media giant's role in both helping the UK ease out of lockdown, and prepare for life after it. We talk about how the company's adapted to the global pandemic, including ramping up its efforts to tackle disinformation using lessons learned from the 2016 US election.  He also tells us about how Facebook expects more than 50% if its staff to be working from home for the forseeable future, and what that means for remote offices. And he explains what happened in Australia, where the platform temporarily blocked news from being viewed or shared by its users in a row over new media laws.    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Schools and safely reuniting with loved ones are being prioritised in England's road map out of lockdown. Mr Johnson's been detailing his “cautious” approach for easing coronavirus restrictions in a speech to Parliament, confirming the reopening of schools on March 8 and the easing of some social restrictions. Our education editor Anna Davis says that's being welcomed by headteachers, although unions are concerned about the risk of staff catching the bug, and starting another cycle of infection. March 29th is when pubs and restaurants will be able to offer food and drink outdoors to groups of no more than six, but the Evening Standard's Jonathan Prynn says there isn't a date for when people will actually be able to go inside to have a meal or a pint. He also warns there doesn't appear to be much respite for the travel industry, with still no word on whether people should book a holiday for the summer.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to the Queen that they will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family. Prince Harry and Meghan initially stepped back from their roles as senior working royals in March 2020 in a quest for personal and financial freedom and now live in Montecito, California. We speak to royal observer Victoria Howard, from the Crown Chronicles, who tells us about the behind-the-scenes tensions at Buckingham Palace over the last 12 months, and why the Duke and Duchess are the real winners of the new arrangement.    Also, London Fashion Week is underway, but it's an all online, covid-safe affair with the usual glamorous parties cancelled during the coronavirus pandemic. But Evening Standard fashion editor Chloe Street tells us coronavirus isn't the only problem - Brexit's causing huge difficulties for the show, and the wider fashion industry itself. She also reveals what her highlights of the event will be, and how some designers are taking advantage of lockdown restrictions to come up with unique visions.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Talks have started between Britain and Greece which could pave the way for holidays this summer in the Mediterranean country. Greek tourism minister Harry Theoharis has revealed preliminary discussions are taking place including on “vaccine passports”. Our Deputy political editor Nicholas Cecil says Athens has been impressed by the UK's vaccine rollout, but the discussions may have been prompted by their dire economic situation.   He also warns the cost of a trip to Greece may be prohibitive for many, with it likely families of four facing an additional £1000 bill to cover quarantine costs on their return. Meanwhile, Covid-19 infection rates are tumbling in Britain but Boris Johnson's still resisting pressure to speed up the lifting of lockdown. Nicholas tells us that may be down to variations in the rate of infection across the country, and lingering fears of as yet unknown mutations.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The boss of Easyjet, Johan Lundgren, sits down with the Evening Standard's Susannah Butter to explain how he thinks the UK's airlines can get off the ground again after nearly a year of pandemic restrictions. Right now, it's far from clear whether people will be allowed to travel this summer, and Mr Lundgren is calling for clarity on how lockdown will be lifted, saying that there is a "pent up demand" for people to get on flights abroad again. They also discuss vaccine passports, which he doesn't think "should be mandated".   And he talks about the future of flight, describing how battery powered planes are already powerful enough to cover 2,000km, which would be 80% of Easyjet's network in Europe.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The government's hoping rapid coronavirus tests, being trialled at Porton Down, will allow Britain’s devastated entertainment and events industry to reopen in the summer. But our arts correspondent Rob Dex says venue managers and west end producers are only giving the plan a "cautious" welcome. There are concerns about the accuracy of the tests, how can they be delivered to potentially thousands of people queuing for a show, and who's going to pay for them? Will you get a free coronavirus check with your ticket?    Also, deputy arts editor Jessie Thompson reviews Framing Britney Spears which has just been released in the UK. The documentary's re-ignited the #FreeBritney movement over her conservatorship, and caused Justin Timberlake to apologise for his behaviour during his break-up with the singer. Jessie tells us the film will change people's minds about Britney herself, but it's also another example of how some of the world's biggest female stars were treated by their industry in the early 2000s.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.