The Standard’s exclusive investigation on London’s harrowing grooming gang epidemic uncovers the repeated story of vulnerable youngsters let down by the authorities there to protect them. The Standard has spoken to social workers, charities, experts and survivors who all say sexual abuse by gangs is ubiquitous across the capital.

Previously, London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan was accused of “stonewalling” questions about whether London has a problem with so-called “grooming gangs” - whilst today Sir Keir Starmer has defended the government’s grooming inquiry.

From police failure to institutional cover-up and establishment silence, The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest.

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Rachelle Abbott is joined by Writer at Large, Melanie McDonagh, who has reviewed Virginia Giuffre's memoir, Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice.

Giuffre's book gives an account of her two-year ordeal as a sexual victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Melanie walks us through the memoir and reveals whether it shares new revelations on Epstein and Ghislaine's case, and what specific claims Virginia makes about her alleged encounters with Prince Andrew.

To read Melanie's full review, click here.

In part two, is £3.95 pasta worth twirling your fork for?

Pastino is expanding with a new venue opening next month, offering some eye-catching prices. But does the quality match the price? We find out more from The Standard's food and drink journalist, Josh Barrie.

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Londoners have been told for years to go electric – and many listened. Families swapped their cars for EVs on the school run. Small businesses invested in electric vans. Thousands of Uber drivers made the switch to cut emissions and costs.

But with the Cleaner Vehicle Discount ending this Christmas, those same drivers and households will soon face new daily charges of up to £13.50 to enter central London. For many, that feels less like progress and more like punishment.

The Electric London coalition, following The Standard’s Leading the Charge campaign, is calling on Mayor Sadiq Khan to reverse the decision to scrap EVs’ exemption from the congestion charge.

In this final episode, The Standard's Business Editor Jonathan Prynn speaks with Andrew Brem, UK General Manager at Uber, and Steve Garelick from the GMB Union, to hear how professional drivers, small businesses and ordinary Londoners will be affected – and what this policy shift means for trust, fairness, and the future of London’s clean air.

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