The Leader | Evening Standard daily

Securing the future sources of our food, especially in cities, sprouts some critical issues: cost, pesticides, genetically modified crops, delivery miles and ensuring children can access nutritious, fresh fruit and vegetables. During lockdown, a trip to the farm seemed a flight of fancy for many city-dwellers, and a team of volunteers at the Felix Project is helping deliver farms’ surplus to charities and schools to provide healthy meals to those who need it. We spoke Marcus Roberts, relationship manager at the Felix Project about their work getting fresh produce from field to table in quick time, and also visited one exciting London agri-startup hoping to achieve all of this - it’s a new ‘urban’ farm called Sitopia. Chloë Dunnett, founder and chief grower, tells us how volunteers at their organic meadow and poly tunnels on the site of the huge Woodlands Farm Trust in Shooters Hill, south-east London, are getting ready for their first harvest after a stellar crowdfunding campaign.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On March 12th 2020, the cast and crew of Six were preparing to debut their West End smash on the Broadway stage: then the New York governor closed all the theatres to stop the spread of Covid. Now, the show’s made a triumphant return to the Lyric Theatre in London, with plans to re-open in the Big Apple in September.  Co-writer/director Lucy Moss joins the show to tell us what it’s like to make a comeback in a pandemic, and how they’re determined to keep performing.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Joe Biden is heading to the UK next week for the G7 conference, in his first foreign trip since becoming President. Boris Johnson was the first person Mr Biden called when he picked up the keys to the White House, but there have been questions over whether the US/UK relationship is under strain. Controversies include Brexit, Boris Johnson’s support of Donald Trump, and the now Prime Minister’s comments about Barack Obama being “part-Kenyan” in 2016. But UCL expert in international politics Dr Julie Norman says the two leaders do have a lot in common and the summit at Carbis Bay is a chance for them to reforge the “special relationship”.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Channel 5’s new Anne Boleyn drama’s launching with black actor Jodie Turner-Smith playing the doomed second wide of Henry VIII.It’s another example of colour-blind casting in period dramas, following Bridgerton and the Great, but this time the character is a real, very well known, person.  The Evening Standard’s Katie Rosseinsky tells us why producers are increasingly hiring diverse casts for historical pieces, and why audiences appear to be supporting their choices.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A leading scientist has told the Evening Standard people should enjoy “life that looks vaguely normal” this weekend as temperatures rise for the bank holiday. Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University, says he’s confident vaccines are working against the Indian variant of Covid-19, but is warning people to remain cautious. That would lead to the government being able to lift final lockdown restrictions on June 21st, but the British Beer and Pub Association fears many of its members won’t make it. With some restrictions still in place, around 2,000 bars have not been able to re-open. It’s predicted around half of the number of pints expected to be sold this weekend will actually be served. The Association’s chief executive, Emma McClarkin, joins the podcast to tell us why even with the sun coming out this spring bank holiday may leave some publicans with nothing to celebrate.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The government doesn't want people going to Spain on holiday, but figures obtained by the Evening Standard suggests they are anyway. Jonathan Prynn tells us how bookings for flights to the popular destination have rocketed even though it's still on the amber list. It follows Spain officially lifting restrictions for UK travellers, with visitors no longer needing to take a PCR Covid-19 test. Infection and death rates in Spain have fallen recently after a six month state of emergency, which was lifted in early May. But restrictions remain in place, including legally being required to wear masks on the beach. Jonathan tells us anyone taking a holiday there may find it's not the experience they expected.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Deputy Political editor Nicholas Cecil joins the show as it’s confirmed four people in the UK who had the Indian variant of Covid-19 have since died. He discusses how concerned public officials are about the bug which appears to be capable of spreading faster than the Kent mutation which fuelled the second wave in Britain. We also look ahead to the planned next stage of the re-opening of the country, with people allowed to drink inside pubs and many theatres re-opening. Will a surge of Indian variant cases put that at risk?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.