London politics

London politics

The amount of bike storage that needs to be provided in new housing developments in London is to be watered down, it can be revealed. This will reduce the number of secure bike spaces that have to be provided and could also permit developers to make a financial contribution in lieu of building bike racks or allow them to be built some distance from the new homes. City Hall believes this is acceptable because of the rise in the number of Londoners hiring dockless e-bikes, such as those provided by Lime and Forest.

Welput, a real estate fund managed by American investment firm BGO, saw its application to construct the tower close to Bevis Marks Synagogue turned down by the City of London Corporation (CLC) in December. The planned scheme involves the demolition of neighbouring Bury House on Bury Street. Opponents of the project include the UK's chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, and historians Sir Simon Schama, Tom Holland and Simon Sebag Montefiore. Welput has been approached for comment.

"This is union-busting, pure and simple. And Unite will never stand for it, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said. "Management must end this treatment of our Unite reps, or it will face dealing with strike action that will disrupt services in East London. This is a dispute entirely of the employer's making."

The Metropolitan Police's newly appointed lead on phone theft says its work in tackling the crime has not been "good enough". Just over 1% of phone thefts in London result in a charge or conviction, according to the force's data, compared with 11% for robberies. London Assembly member Neil Garratt urged more to be done to tackle the issue of phone theft, which he compared to an "epidemic" in the city.

As well as the photo of the woman at the children's park, whose face was not shown though who PC Jacks had described as having the biggest fake boobs, they included references to a friend as a big fat poof, a commentary on other passengers during a journey home in which a woman is called an old slag and a post stating AIDS is a terrible thing. Especially Turkish AIDS.

Back in April, Newham Council got special permission to raise its council tax by 8.99 percent - nearly double the normal increase cap of 4.99 percent - in order to help it swerve bankruptcy. As Newham faces more 'difficult decisions' and a £53 million funding gap next year, a new report suggests that it could ask for permission to increase its council tax by the same amount again.

The officers have noted in their statement that they believe that because the Star of David was out and present to people, which may take either offence to the presence of it, they felt that was antagonising the situation, the detective says. I think that's, with respect, appalling and shows a complete ignorance on behalf of those officers, the lawyer responds.

Steve Reed, the housing secretary, and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, will announce the package within weeks, in what officials say will be a time-limited intervention designed to stall the sudden drop in new building in the capital. The plans, details of which are still being negotiated, have been welcomed by developers but condemned by homelessness charities who say it will increase the record numbers of people who are homeless in the UK.

A final decision on whether two unpopular Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Greenwich will become permanent will be made next month. Greenwich Council launched the West and East Neighbourhood Management Trial Scheme last November, aiming to reduce traffic and improve air quality in two areas of Greenwich by issuing fines to motorists who drive through certain areas at peak times.

The inquiry will determine applications to redevelop three sites on and around Brick Lane, after property owner Truman Estates and Zeloof LLP appealed to the government's Planning Inspectorate to decide whether they should go ahead. The Save Brick Lane Campaign, which opposes the plans, say they fail to reflect local wants and needs and don't provide enough housing. The largest of the three proposals would demolish several buildings at the Truman's Brewery site between Brick Lane and Spital Street.

Plans to run a 425m zipline from the ArcellorMittal Orbit tower in the Olympic Park are set to be considered by councillors next week. ZipWorld, which operates the 114.5m high tower, wants planning permission for the wire from both Tower Hamlets and Newham councils. Plans say the zipline would offer a unique and exhilarating experience for a predicted 60,000 extra visitors a year.

Transport for London (TfL) has brought just four prosecutions against passengers for loud phone conversations or playing audio on their devices since 2020, it has emerged. The transport authority's byelaws state that no passenger shall, to the annoyance of any person, sing or use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound. This would include having phone conversations on speaker or playing music out loud.

In her speech at the conference, the home secretary said that if someone wanted to stay in the UK permanently, they would have to contribute. She said: "I will be proposing a series of new tests, such as being in work, making National Insurance contributions, not taking a penny in benefits, learning English to a high standard, having no criminal record and that you have truly given back to your community, such as by volunteering your time to a local cause."

In the capital, homes can be let - often to tourists - for up to 90 nights a year without planning permission, a rule meant to protect London's housing supply. But many landlords are creating multiple listings for the same property, switching to a new one once the limit is reached in order to illegally keep renting the property for short-term lets all year.

The protest comes in the wake of a tentative ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered with international mediators, under which hostages are to be released and Israeli military operations paused. Still, protesters argue that a formal agreement alone is not enough. Many are demanding full implementation of the ceasefire terms, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of all Palestinian detainees.

London's NYE fireworks display has been ticketed since 2014. This year's edition will feature a 12-minute show with thousands of fireworks and hundreds of lights, all set to a soundtrack. Last year's playlist included the likes of Olivia Newton-John's 'Physical' and D-Ream's 'Things Can Only Get Better'. This year there will be around 100,000 tickets up for grabs for London's official NYE display, while millions will watch on TV.

Westminster City Council said in order for the construction to start on Cavendish Square Gardens, it must redesignate the land and allow time for public objections, according to a council report. The council's cabinet is set to approve the measure during a meeting on October 16 which will then see the appropriation advertised in a local newspaper for two weeks from the end of the month.

Formal plans for what could be Europe's largest data centre are expected to be submitted in the coming months, new documents show. Havering Council is set to approve the East Havering Data Centre (EHDC), which will straddle the boundary of Havering and Thurrock, in January. The centre designed by developer Digital Reef would cover 99 acres and the scheme would also include a 279-acre ecology park, which the firm said would be publicly accessible. The council's corporate plan, published this week, says it will be consulted on in the autumn before it goes before the strategic planning committee, made up of elected councillors.

A London council has warned of far-right agitators attempting to import division into the borough, as it takes a stand against efforts to sow division in the community following a summer of protests. At a meeting on Wednesday, the council pledged to reject the presence of far-right agitators from outside the borough who come to target local communities during the protests.

Khan replied, "I don't think it is antisemitic, and I think it's all about context. "Some slogans can be antisemitic, but it's all about context. And in certain contexts, yes, those slogans are antisemitic. In other contexts, they're not." Hall said that the pro-Palestine protests took place in London and protesters were seen "screaming chants at passing commuters." The Home Secretary to the protests "should not have gone ahead" on Yom Kippur which is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish community.

The combination of a significant slowing of residential house building and an influx of new student accommodation in a North London borough risks creating an unbalanced community, the local authority has warned. Brent Council is proposing a pause on all new purpose built student accommodation (PBSA), particularly in Wembley, due to fears it will inhibit its plan to address local housing shortages and no longer provide a balanced and mixed community.

The smoke destroyed everything. We've probably lost everything.

For the first time in its roughly 800 years, this year's Lord Mayor's Show in the City of London will be changing its name. No, they haven't succumbed to the modern trend of selling naming rights to a corporate sponsor. The reason is nicer - the City has elected a Lady to the post of Lord Mayor and she has decided to be known as the Lady Mayor.

A new tall building site by Liverpool Street is being recommended to be included in the City of London Corporation's forthcoming Local Plan effectively earmarking it for more skyscrapers. Referred to as the Broadgate Tall Building Site in documents, it would become the third area in the Square Mile designated as suitable for skyscrapers.

A south London school is on track to become the first all-girls school in the world to send a satellite into space. The independent Croydon High School in south London, has designed and built a working satellite which they aim to launch into low-Earth orbit in the next couple of years. They hope the plan, called Mission Pegasus, will inspire girls to take on science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, known as STEM, where females are still under-represented.

I remember the first time I came here and I was completely relieved about my safety, Mr Galdino said. In Brazil you feel so scared in the streets. When I came here, I was completely free of that feeling. But in the last few years, seeing these things happen all the time, my perception has completely changed. I really do believe London is a paradise (for pickpockets).

Being here, I feel like I'm with my mum I feel like I'm losing her again, I want the council to help me keep all I have left of her, because without it, once the house is gone, I'll have nothing left.

Owners of Kaieteur Kitchen, Original Caribbean Spice, Daddy O's, and El Guambra have been locked out of their premises A number of traders in Elephant & Castle's Castle Square, a relocation site for businesses from the former Elephant & Castle shopping centre, have been locked out of their shops following a 'Letters Before Action' demand issued by landlord Get Living on 15th September that they pay electricity arrears in full within 14 days.

Defend Our Juries, the group which has been organising the protests in London, said it intended to go ahead with its action on Saturday, and it urged the police to focus on protecting those communities fearing reprisals or follow-up terror attacks. We urge you to choose to prioritise protecting the community, rather than arresting those peacefully holding signs in opposition to the absurd and draconian ban of a domestic direct action group, Defend Our Juries told the Metropolitan police in a letter of reply.

Plans to turn a former nightclub and restaurant in the London Trocadero into a two-storey casino have been given the green light by planning officers. The casino will cater for up to 1,250 customers and include a restaurant on the ground floor of the building on Coventry Street in the West End. The proposal, submitted by national casino operator Genting Casinos UK Ltd, was granted planning permission at a committee meeting on September 30.