In October 2009, after being purchased by Russian businessman Alexander Lebedev, the paper ended a 180-year history of paid circulation and multiple editions every day, and became a free newspaper publishing a single print edition every weekday, doubling its circulation as part of a change in its business plan.

[citation needed] During the decade, the paper also began to publish the comic strip Modesty Blaise, which bolstered its sales throughout the 1970s.

[8] In the 1960s, the paper's political editor Robert Carvel was granted a morning briefing by prime minister Harold Wilson and it had its own correspondents in Paris and Washington.

[citation needed] In 1988 the Evening Standard included the by-line "Incorporating the 'Evening News'", which remained until the paper's sale in 2009.

[citation needed] In November 2009, it was announced that the London Evening Standard would drop its morning "News Extra" edition from 4 January 2010.

[11] There were often considerable changes between editions in the front-page lead and the following news pages, including the Londoner's Diary, though features and reviews stayed the same.

[13] In May 2009, the newspaper launched a series of poster ads, each of which prominently featured the word "Sorry" in the paper's then-masthead font.

Ex-editor Veronica Wadley criticised the "Pravda-style" campaign saying it humiliated the paper's staff and insulted its readers.

Also in May 2009, the paper relaunched as the London Evening Standard with a new layout and masthead, marking the occasion by giving away 650,000 free copies on the day,[16] and refreshed its sports coverage.

[citation needed] In February 2010, a paid-for circulation version became available in suburban areas of London for 20p (although many places sell it for 50p).

Not just for the act of going free, but because editorial quality has been maintained, circulation has almost trebled and advertisers have responded favourably.

[27] In May 2018, James Cusick of openDemocracy alleged the newspaper had been providing favourable news coverage to companies, including Uber and Google, in exchange for financial sponsorship.

[35] The change was made by Lebedev under pressure by Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel, who has owned a 30% stake in the Evening Standard's parent company since 2018.

[41][42][43] From July 2020 to October 2021, the newspaper's editor was Emily Sheffield, sister of Samantha Cameron, who took over from the former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, who became editor-in-chief.

[citation needed] The Evening Standard, a regional newspaper, emphasises London-centred news (especially in its features pages), covering building developments, property prices, traffic schemes, politics, the congestion charge and, in the Londoner's Diary page, gossip on the social scene, and also covers significant national and international news.

[citation needed] It also occasionally runs campaigns on London issues that national newspapers do not cover in detail.

[48] During the 2008 London mayoral election, the newspaper – and particularly the correspondent Andrew Gilligan – published articles in support of the Conservative candidate, Boris Johnson, including frequent front-page headlines condemning Labour opponent Ken Livingstone.

[52] In the 2017[53] and 2019 United Kingdom general elections, the Evening Standard endorsed the Conservative Party.

[citation needed] This has moved from more general articles to concentrate on glamour, with features on the rich, powerful and famous.

[citation needed] On Wednesdays, some areas offer a free copy of the Homes & Property supplement, edited by Janice Morley, which includes London property listings and articles from lifestyle journalists including Barbara Chandler, Katie Law, and Alison Cork.