Brace yourself for Storm Angus: The Met Office has released this year’s list of storm names September 19, 2016 Brace yourselves, for Angus and Barbara may be about to rampage through the UK: yes, the Met Office has issued its list of storm names for the 2016/17 season. Goodbye, Nigel – hello Natalie. Also included on the list are Conor, Doris and Ewan, plus some with a more multicultural flavour, such as Kamil. Irish boy's name [...]
London’s black cab drivers are considering a legal challenge against accepting card payments September 18, 2016 Cab drivers are considering whether to launch a legal challenge over the mandatory introduction of card payments in black taxis across London, as they put on hold plans for protests on the capital's roads this week. Passengers will be able to pay for journeys by credit or debit card under rules due to come into force by the end of [...]
Thousands march in London to show support for refugees September 17, 2016 Thousands of people have attended a march in London today to urge the government to allow more migrants into the country. The march – "Refugees Welcome" – was joined by groups such as Amnesty International, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Save the Children and Oxfam. Together, we can #savechildrefugees. Such an incredible turnout in London today to [...]
Five things we learned about Mark Carney when schoolchildren grilled him on live TV September 16, 2016 Bank of England governor Mark Carney is used to being grilled by journalists, but today he faced questions from schoolchildren and they didn't pull their punches. The children were putting the Canadian on the spot as part of a Q&A session hosted on the BBC. Jay, 13, went straight for the jugular, asking Carney: "Who is easier to work [...]
Travel chaos as heavy rain brings abrupt end to heatwave and causes a train to derail near Watford Junction. Oh, and there’s a Circle Line strike September 16, 2016 A London Midland train derailed near Watford Junction today as the UK's train lines were plunged into chaos after the recent heatwave came to an abrupt end with floods, thunderstorms and hail. Virgin Trains said the service had hit a landslide, causing it to strike another train and derail – but no injuries were reported. However, it did [...]
Mayor of London slammed over RMT union’s planned Tube strikes on Hammersmith & City and Circle Lines September 15, 2016 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been slammed today over his lack of response to a Tube strike planned by drivers on the Hammersmith & City and Circle Lines, due to start tonight. The RMT union said this morning that, following an "overwhelming vote for action" by drivers who are union members, 24 hours of strike [...]
Shooting the messenger: Rent controls have always and everywhere ended in failure September 14, 2016 Rent controls are back on the political agenda. Their reintroduction is now official Labour Party policy, and the Conservatives will probably follow with a somewhat milder version in due course. It is easy to see why: according to a recent Survation poll, two thirds of the public support rent controls, with most of the remaining [...]
The Green Belt is standing between young people and the homes they need September 14, 2016 Imagine a race in which the finishing line moved further away, faster than you could run. Rigged against you, no matter how hard you tried, the finish line would always move faster. That’s the housing market in London and the South East for most young people, where the dream of homeownership remains just that, a [...]
Sadiq Khan has vowed to push ahead with a housing plan his critics call “unrealistic” and “needlessly complex” September 14, 2016 Sadiq Khan has defended plans to sell off Transport for London land at reduced rates, claiming the approach “does right by London”, despite claims the plans are “unrealistic” and “needlessly complex”. Khan is set to press ahead with the sale of one patch of land at Kidbrooke in Greenwich, despite warnings his affordable housing requirements [...]
TfL warns Hammersmith & City and Circle Line workers to go on strike Today and Friday September 14, 2016 Transport for London (TfL) has warned Londoners that there may be a strike on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines today and tomorrow. Some drivers on these two lines who are RMT union members are currently planning to strike from 21:30 on Thursday 15 September for 24 hours, TfL said. which will see some drivers not book [...]