8 h. ago Action needed: social housing providers must be made accountable for the treatment of their tenants | Steve Bundred

Angela Rayner’s renters’ rights bill is admirable, but it won’t help those living in substandard accommodationSteve Bundred is a former Audit Commission chief executiveOn the tree-lined north London street where I live, scaffolders arrived seven years ago. Metal poles were erected around a housing association property next door to me, owned by the social housing provider Peabody, to allow for external refurbishment work to be carried out. But today, that scaffolding still stands – and those repair works have never been carried out.“This is yet another example of Peabody’s casual neglect of their residents. They do not respond to emails from me or senior council officers and have also ignored an enforcement notice served on them by planning officers,” the chair of Islington council’s planning committee, Martin Klute, recently told the Islington Tribune. Peabody owns more than 5% of Islington’s nearly 112,000 properties. And it has well below average performance on every key indicator...

Economics

16 h. ago Moment oblivious man has phone swiped from his hand by thug on an electric bike as he strolls down London street

The pedestrian was strolling along the Broadway in the Southall area of west London on Saturday when the crook struck.

Politics

17 h. ago Moment oblivious man has phone swiped from his hand by thug on an electric bike as he strolls down London stre

Moment oblivious man has phone swiped from his hand by thug on an electric bike as he strolls down London stre  Daily Mail

Politics

41 h. ago Around 100 firefighters called to fire at block of luxury flats in central London where apartments go for more than £1m

The blaze broke out at the Goodman's Fields luxury apartment complex on Leman Street in Aldgate in central London on Sunday evening.

Economics

3 d. ago David Oyelowo: ‘My wife and I made the decision early on never to be apart for longer than two weeks’’

The actor, 49, talks about his royal heritage, earliest memory, hard times in a hostel, four gifted kids and what happened when he met Sidney PoitierDavid, you are going to walk among kings.” This was my mum’s prophecy when I was small. My father is from a royal family in Nigeria, so I interpreted it that way. Remarkably, she was right: I went on to play King Pelasgus, Henry VI, Martin Luther King and Seretse Khama.My earliest memory is sitting on my dad’s shoulders as he walked down Balham High Street in London. I was eating a cream puff, watching the sugar fall into his hair. I can still smell and taste the cream. It felt magical, both the longest and the shortest walk imaginable.We moved from the UK to Nigeria, where I attended a military-style boarding school for three years. There were lashings and I was made to cut an entire field with a cutlass. Those formative years were character-building and made me value the wisdom of elders, but the idea of subjecting my own children to ...

Politics

4 d. ago Shoreditch towers plan secures 'support in principle' from City Hall

Development would reach 12 storeys high on a disused patch of land between two busy railway lines

Politics

4 d. ago Marks & Spencer unveils £90 million investment in London food halls

The investment pipeline is set to create 450 new jobs and will add more than 70,000 sq ft of store space.

Economics

5 d. ago ‘This platform gave me everything’: street performers rue end of busking at Leicester Square

Westminster Council said it was ‘left with no choice’ but to bring in a controversial ban due to noise complaintsTommi has been a living statue for 20 years, endeavouring to stay rooted to the spot amid hailstones, loose dogs and teasing teenagers.But even he was moved by the news that Leicester Square would no longer host street performers, calling time on one of London’s most renowned tourist-friendly quirks. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago London’s Bond Street is now officially Europe’s most expensive shopping destination

London’s Bond Street is now officially Europe’s most expensive shopping destination  Time Out

Politics

6 d. ago Stoke Newington scaffolding collapse ‘hits moving van’ as police shut high street

Driver gets lucky escape as huge structure crashes down from public library on Wednesday morning

Events

6 d. ago Scaffolding collapses in high winds 'trapping driver' on busy Hackney street

A three storey scaffolding structure appeared to be ripped off a public library in Stoke Newington on Wednesday morning

Transport

7 d. ago Nitefreak & Friends I Leake street tunnels at 26 Leake Street, London

Nitefreak & Friends I Leake street tunnels at 26 Leake Street, London  Skiddle

Politics

7 d. ago A train from the UK to Italy? We've heard that one before, but I'm on board | Jonn Elledge

It’s a lot easier to tease new cross-Channel rail services than it is to actually start running trains. I’m crossing my fingers anywayBetween environmental breakdown, economic crisis and Donald Trump, it often feels like there’s precious little reason to feel hopeful these days. So how’s this for a reason to cheer up: Italian state railway company, Trenitalia, is planning to run trains through the Channel tunnel before the decade is out. It’s studying the option of direct trains from the UK to Italy, too. Eagle-eyed readers may note that those are two separate propositions.Trenitalia is no stranger to the British rail network: it already operates the C2C franchise, which connects London Fenchurch Street via south Essex to Southend. Last week the company announced a €1bn (£860m) plan to launch a new high-speed service connecting London and Paris by 2029, as a direct competitor to the long-established Eurostar. In addition, it’s reported to be “studying the possibility” of extending t...

Politics

7 d. ago White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood wipes away a tear as she's seen for first time since Saturday Night Live's 'mean' skit about her teeth

The British actress, 31, was spotted making her way along the street in London on Monday as she wiped away tears and overcome with emotion.

Events

7 d. ago White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood appears emotional as she's seen for the first time since Saturday Night Live's 'mean and unfunny' skit about her was praised by 'feuding' co

The British actress, 31, was spotted making her way along the street in London on Monday as she wiped away tears and overcome with emotion.

Events

7 d. ago White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood breaks down in tears as she's seen for the first time since SNL's 'mean and unfunny' skit about her teeth was praised by co

The British actress, 31, was spotted making her way along the street in London on Monday as she wiped away tears and overcome with emotion.

Events

7 d. ago Jack Grealish 'racks up £5,000 bar bill and copies Wolf of Wall Street gesture as Man City star parties in swanky London nightclub'

Grealish was given just a three-minute cameo at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and headed down to the capital the following day for a big night out on the tiles.

Economics

9 d. ago Cyclist fighting for life after horror van crash on New Oxford Street

A number of London bus routes were diverted as a result of the closure

Events

9 d. ago Gemma Collins leaves commuters gobsmacked with surprise piano performance

The Only Way Is Essex legend Gemma Collins showed off a secret skill - piano playing. She was filmed tinkling the ivories, and singing with a gospel choir, in front of shocked commuters at London's Liverpool Street Station

Politics

1 week ago Watch: Terrifying moment Uber hits pedestrian before crashing into Islington cafe leaving passenger fighting for life

Exclusive: Dramatic footage shows passerby walking away practically unscathed after the car struck him on Upper Street

Events