The Standard

This Saturday, the Victoria and Albert museum will open its latest outpost, V&A East. So, what can London expect from its new museum?

In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Dr Madeleine Haddon, the senior curator of V&A East, for a sneak peek of the new museum. Together they discuss the opening exhibitions, the museum's connection to its home in East London, as well as the museum's inspired cafe offering.

Image: V&A East Museum © Hufton+Crow
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A group of Londoners are coming together in Soho this Saturday to call on the government to introduce rent controls. But, with the renters rights act about to come into force, would freezing rents send the private rental market into chaos?

In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Joe Beswick, a member of the London Renter’s Union, about the upcoming protest. Tamara asks Joe about the feasibility of rent controls, how introducing this policy might interact with the Renters Rights Act, and whether housebuilding is the answer to London’s affordability crisis.

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Currently, more than a third of children leave primary school overweight or obese. The government is about to start a consultation on reforming school meals. Will having salad bars in schools make a difference?

In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Nika Pajda, Head of Policy and Research at Bite Back. Together they discuss whether banning deep fried foods from school canteens will have a significant impact on children's health, as well as the lurking influence of Big Foods in schools.

Photograph: Getty Images
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After 16 years in power, Viktor Orbán’s leadership of Hungary has come to an end. But will a comfortable majority be enough for opposition leader Péter Magyar to bring inflation — and corruption — under control?

In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Miklós Hajnal, a sitting Member of Parliament for the Momentum party and an opposition figure in Hungary’s National Assembly. Together, they discuss whether Hungary can truly move beyond Orbán’s rule, and the geopolitical direction the country may take in the years ahead.

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Sickfluencers are everywhere right now — but what are they actually doing, and why has it turned into such a political flashpoint?

In this episode, Martha Tipper digs into the row over social media creators who post tips on claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) — from step-by-step guides to broader advice on navigating a system many people say is notoriously hard to “crack”.

A new report from centre-right think tank Policy Exchange claims this kind of online coaching could fuel economic inactivity and put more pressure on the health and disability benefits system — and the report’s sponsorship by Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick has only cranked up the heat.

But there’s another side to it: plenty of people with genuine — and often invisible — disabilities say this content is a lifeline, especially when legal aid and specialist support are hard to access, and rejection rates are high. So is this really about fraud… or is it about a benefits system that’s confusing by design?

We also look at ideas being floated for reform — from means testing to more in-person assessments, and even vouchers or other targeted support — and why the practical reality may be messier than the headlines.

Plus: what the DWP says about fraud levels, and why “people getting advice on the internet” might be the least shocking part of all this
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