Share

The Standard
Why Uber should keep its London license - and the big winners from the Evening Standard Theatre Awards
In today’s podcast:
This morning Transport for London stripped Uber of its licence to operate in London. The news will shock the 45,000 drivers, and the many users who rely on the service. However, TFL insists that Uber is not a fit and proper company to hold an operating licence.
The Leader podcast spoke to The Evening Standard’s City Hall editor Ross Lydall on why Uber should keep its license.
The manifestos are out. So are the candidates, pounding the streets, knocking doors, hitting phones – all to persuade people to vote for them. The Evening Standard’s Londoner editor Ayesha Hazarika and Julian Glover, our Associate Editor, join The Leader podcast to discuss how the parties are fighting for your vote, and why it is so vital that everyone registers to vote before it’s too late.
The brightest stars of the London stage gathered to celebrate the 65th Evening Standard Awards on Sunday night, with big winners including Best Actress Dame Maggie Smith and Best Actor Andrew Scott. The Evening Standard's Digital Arts editor Jessie Thompson was there for all of it and gives us her insider scoop.
****
TRANSCRIPT:
PRESENTER:
Thank you for listening to The Leader, we bring you commentary and analysis every weekday at 4pm. Subscribe to make sure you get it on time and you can rate us too. From the Evening Standard in London, this is The Leader
PRESENTER:
Hi, I'm David Marsland. Transport for London has stripped Uber of its license to operate in the city. Uber has become a way of life for millions of Londoners.
ROSS LYDELL:
This is how people get about town, how they get the children about town. And I don't think this decision quite tallies that
PRESENTER:
Our City Hall editor Ross Lydell on what that means and what happens next. The Standard calls for the service to stay on the road. Also...
AYESHA HAZARIKA:
Theresa May appears to be the Tory secret weapon. She's been there twice. She's now a celebrity who knew that
PRESENTER:
Julian Glover and Ayesha Hazarika on how the parties are fighting for your vote as the deadline to register looms and..
SIR IAN MCKELLEN:
to the rest of you luxuriating In this magnificent Frank Maxim auditorium thanks for listening to an old boy.
PRESENTER:
Sir Ian McKellen scooped one of the Evening Standard Theatre awards top prizes last night who else won and what was the backstage gossip.
PRESENTER:
Taken from the Evening Standard editorial column. This is the leader of the whole thing. Pick up the newspaper or head to standard.co.uk/comment in a moment we think Uber should keep its license to drive in London.
PRESENTER:
As the Christmas party season approaches, it's easy to forget the was once not so long ago a world without Uber when thousands with jam the phone lines for the mini Cab closing time for can see the hefty chunk of their bank account to flag down...
More episodes
View all episodes

Should Kanye West headline Wireless Festival?
15:30||Season 1Wireless has booked Kayne West (Ye) as a three-day headliner for their July festival. With Ye's controversial and anti-semitic history, what message does this send to Londoners?In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Josh Rom, a culture journalist who has covered many of Kanye's infamous moments. Together, they explore the festival's rationale for handing the polarising rapper the entire weekend, despite intense backlash and condemnation from the Jewish Leadership Council over his past antisemitic remarks.
Is London failing its drag queens?
19:26||Season 1The UK’s leading performing arts union, Equity, is raising concerns about the role of the London Nightlife Task Force, saying that workers’ voices are being overlooked in decisions shaping the capital’s night-time economy.In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Standard journalist Megan Howe to unpack Equity’s latest survey findings, before hearing from drag artist Le Fil, who shares their first-hand experience of working in London’s late night economy.
Should tourists pay for museum entry?
14:51||Season 1The House of Lords is considering a proposal to charge overseas visitors admission fees at museums and galleries. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the free entry policy, but with some institutions now reporting deficits, government ministers are looking to tourists to prop up cultural institutionsIn this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Alison Cole, the director of the Cultural Policy Unit thinktank, who helped to devise the initial universal free admission policy instituted in 2001. Together, they discuss whether charging tourists could generate enough income to plug the gap in arts funding, and explore alternative ways to keep cultural institutions free for all.
What to eat this Easter weekend
13:24||Season 1With Easter falling early this year, what should home cooks reconsider, and which restaurants are serving the best festive menus?In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to the London Standard’s Going Out Editor and resident food critic, David Ellis, for tips on how to snag tables at great restaurants over the long weekend, plus festive recipes that you can prepare ahead of time.
Will the London Marathon be a two-day event in 2027?
20:41||Season 1Last year, the London Marathon ballot box achieved a personal best. Over one million applicants signed up for April’s upcoming event, and with only 10,000-15,000 places reserved for ballot entries, the competition for a spot is tougher than ever. Now, rumours are circulating that the Sunday event may become a two-day weekend as early as 2027 in order to accommodate the increased demand. In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Rick Pearson, the senior editor of Runner's World UK and co-host of the Runner's World podcast. The two discuss how a two-day event might unfold, tips for running novices, and also unpack the reasons why the London Marathon continues to hold its spot as the world’s most popular running event.
Do single mothers create 'manosphere' men?
18:12||Season 1Since the release of Louis Theroux latest investigation, Inside The Manosphere, discourse has turned to a particular detail from the documentary — that the alpha male influencers had absent fathers. So, why has the focus shifted to single mothers?In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Rebecca Cox, author of How To Be a Happy Single Parent, who argues that single mothers are being unfairly labelled as ‘toxic’ in the debate surrounding Louis Theroux’s new documentary.
Where to enjoy a crowd-free Easter break?
16:59||Season 1Travel disruptions are pushing British holidaymakers to divert their holiday plans away from the Middle East, and a lot of people have the same ideas. So which destinations will be crowd-free over Easter?In this episode, The Standard’s lifestyle director Suzannah Ramsdale sits down with travel writer Alicia Miller to discuss holiday destinations that are unlikely to be rammed with tourists in a couple of weeks, as well as tips for finding a great last minute deal.
Is ambulance arson the consequence of unchecked antisemitism?
20:37||Season 1In the early hours of Monday morning, arsonists set fire to four ambulances run by a Jewish charity in a synagogue car park in North London. The attack has shaken British Jewry, amid growing concerns over the normalisation of antisemitism in the UK. In this episode, host Tamara speaks to the CEO of Campaign Against Antisemitism, Gideon Falter, about the attack and its lead up. She also speaks to Rabbi Sandor Milun, the managing director of a Jewish volunteering charity, Gift UK, about the attack that took place in the car park of his synagogue.Photograph: Getty Images
Should Harley Street’s cosmetic ‘hot-desking’ be halted?
16:06||Season 1London’s Harley Street is best known as a centre of medical excellence. Are unqualified “tweakment” aestheticians threatening its reputation?In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Niva Yadav, the Standard’s trainee journalist, who has been investigating the world of rogue cosmetic practitioners in Harley Street. The two discuss the medical status of dermal filler, whether the government’s attempts to regulate the industry go far enough, and tips on what to ask a cosmetic practitioner before undergoing a treatment.