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Welcome to the best bits of James O'Brien's LBC phone-in show.
Listen back to all the highlights in a 60-minute bite sized chunk of his show with new episodes every weekday.
James covers all the big stories which will make you think - and possibly change your outlook.
For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com
Listen back to all the highlights in a 60-minute bite sized chunk of his show with new episodes every weekday.
James covers all the big stories which will make you think - and possibly change your outlook.
For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com
231 Episodes
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Net migration to the UK fell by two-thirds in the year ending June 2025 compared with the previous 12 months, according to ONS figures. This has coincided with rising numbers of young people leaving the UK because of its economic and political landscape. Are you leaving the UK? If so, why? And, how can we persuade young people to hang around?This episode was recorded on the 28th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her 2025 Budget. Much of the media is in uproar at tax rises, especially the lifting of the two-child benefit cap - but what measures should we actually be angry about?And, James asks his listeners what their experiences of Universal Credit are, as well as what it’s like being labeled as a scrounger by much of the right-wing media and political class?This episode was recorded on the 27th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled the long-anticipated budget - but not before the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) leaked it! James was joined by fellow LBC presenter Shelagh Fogarty and Politics Editor Natasha Clark to discuss both the fallout from the leak and the budget itself!Also, Justice Secretary David Lammy is proposing to massively restrict the age old to a jury by trial by only guaranteeing it for defendants facing the most serious of crimes… is this right?This episode was recorded on the 26th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
1Sir Keir Starmer and David Lammy are set to escape Labour’s “mansion tax” after adjustments from the Treasury - the tax will now only apply to houses worth over £2m. Is a mansion tax the right move for the Chancellor?And, a new study has found that the majority of ethnic minority adults (55%) believe those putting up St George’s crosses as part of the “Operation Raise the Colours” campaign are doing so to express racist and/or anti-migrant sentiment. Has this campaign changed the way you feel about the flag?This episode was recorded on the 25th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
With Rachel Reeves’ budget, many more pensioners could be pulled into paying income tax. Are pensioners receiving too much support or should the state pension be means-tested?And, new research shows obesity rates among the poorest children are nearly double those of their wealthiest classmates. In the modern West, has thinness become a marker of privilege?Plus, David Cameron has revealed he was treated for prostate cancer after his wife urged him to get checked. Why are men still so reluctant to go to the doctor and is masculinity costing lives?Carole Cadwalladr also joins James to discuss the mounting pressure for a full government inquiry into Russian interference in UK politics.This episode was recorded on the 24th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has found that the government response to the pandemic was "too little, too late" - imposing lockdown a week earlier could have saved 23,000 lives. Worse still, lockdowns could have been avoided altogether, had Boris Johnson’s Conservative government acted with the urgency that was so obviously needed. James asks his callers lay their emotions bare and share the most significant, and often tragic, moments of the pandemic with him.And, Ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales Nathan Gill has been sentenced to 10-and-a-half years for taking at least £40,000 in pro-Russia bribes - James takes the sentencing live.This episode was recorded on the 21st of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Senior Pentagon officials are in Ukraine to "discuss efforts to end the war" with Russia. It’s been reported that the potential “peace deal” drawn up by the US and Russia will require Ukraine to give up large amounts of territory and dramatically shrink its military. If Zelenskyy accepted these terms, what would it mean for the world?And, Labour MP Clive Lewis has offered to give up his seat to allow the Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, to challenge Sir Keir Starmer's premiership. This comes shortly after suggestions that Health Secretary Wes Streeting would be challenging Starmer. Why the Prime Minister so unpopular?This episode was recorded on the 20th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Britain is not prepared to defend itself from a military attack and the government is moving at a "glacial" speed in response to the threats of Russia and China, the Commons Defence Committee has concluded. Now, in what could be considered a ‘duh’ question, why do we need an army? And what are they realistically used for?Also, ultra-processed food poses a seismic threat to global health, according to the world’s largest review. Brits are some of the biggest consumers of UPFs… but why? How do we break this addiction?And, ‘Things happen’… is something that Donald Trump actually said when the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was brought up in front of himself and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House. LBC’s US correspondent Simon Marks joins James for all that and more..This episode was recorded on the 19th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has defended sweeping changes to the UK's asylum system. Refugee status will become temporary, guaranteed housing support for asylum seekers will end and "safe and legal routes" into the UK will be created. Will these policies actually reduce racism and anti-immigrant sentiment, as Mahmood says?And, according to new research, the vast majority of people who earn six figure salaries and have more than £1 million in cash savings do not feel rich. Why is this the case?This episode was recorded on the 18th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Today, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced sweeping reforms to the UK's asylum system. Most refugees will now have to wait 20 years to apply to settle permanently, with deportations sped up when claims are rejected. Also, “Trump-style” visa bans on Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are to be applied if their governments don’t cooperate more on deportations. Why is the Home Secretary doing this, who is she trying to appeal to and what would it take to diffuse the negative immigration rhetoric that has taken over the UK? This episode was recorded on the 17th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has decided against breaking Labour's manifesto promise and raising income tax at the upcoming Budget - despite giving strong indications that she would be. How do you greet this news, and why has Reeves done this?And, London has been named the best city in the world to live, work and visit for the 11th year in a row by Forbes. Why then do right-wing political figures like Elon Musk and Nigel Farage tell lies about the capital’s crime rates and paint London as a cess-pit of violence?This episode was recorded on the 14th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Thousands of documents from disgraced financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have been released, many of which reference Donald Trump, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson. Why did Donald Trump campaign on a promise to release the Epstein files, considering he is now so desperate to keep them secret? And, UK unemployment has risen to 5%, the highest level in four years. James asks his listeners to share the reality of losing a job and what support, if any, is readily available afterwards.This episode was recorded on the 13th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Downing Street was "on alert" last night amid suggestions that Health Secretary Wes Streeting was leading a plot to oust the Prime Minister. Today, Streeting labeled these reports as "ridiculous". However, there is serious dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer, both within and outside of the government. Why is this? Do you want Starmer to go? And, James is joined by LBC’s Washington Correspondent Simon Marks to talk through everything from the UK halting intelligence sharing with the US to the threat from Donald Trump to sue the BBC for $1bn.This episode was recorded on the 12th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Rachel Reeves has hinted that she is planning to remove the two-child benefit cap in the November budget, in a move that could cost more than £3bn but lift 350,000 children out of poverty. Why is the cap removal so unpopular with the public? Also, Black and Asian NHS staff who do home visits fear some areas have become “no-go zones” for them - areas strewn with St George’s flags. Was this the point all along?And, Prince William has said that he and Kate decided to be as open as possible in answering “difficult questions” from their children after she was diagnosed with cancer… James hears about your personal experiences around diagnosis.This episode was recorded on the 11th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
BBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness resigned last night after criticism that Panorama misled viewers by editing a speech by Donald Trump. Trump has since threatened legal action against the BBC… James breaks it all down.And, it’s highly probable that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be raising income tax in the upcoming Budget. Considering she promised not to do this in Labour’s manifesto of course, how will we know if it’s the right decision?This episode was recorded on the 10th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
An internal Metropolitan police review has found the “racial harm” the force inflicts on black people is “institutionally defended”. Also, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned of a “rising tide” of “1970s and 1980s style racism” in the NHS and Britain more widely. What is the difference between racism and institutional racism?And, the parents of the three girls murdered by Axel Rudakubana have condemned the parents of the killer for their failures to prevent the Southport attack. Indeed, Rudakabana’s father stated he was aware of the “small arsenal of weapons” his son had collected and was “ashamed” he hadn’t called the police. What is it like to be frightened of your own child and what help can parents get? This episode was recorded on the 7th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Two prisoners were mistakenly released from Wandsworth Prison in the last week. William Smith handed himself back in to HMP Wandsworth today, while a manhunt is still underway for Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, an Algerian national who is a sex offender. How can this be happening?Also, 15 local areas have closed ADHD support waiting lists and another 31 that have introduced tighter criteria, making it more difficult to access support. What impact will this have on people with ADHD and what difference did a diagnosis make for you?And, James speaks with Tom Cheshire, Sky News correspondent, who explains the investigation that has revealed that X’s (formerly known as Twitter) algorithm amplifies right-wing and extreme content and, in turn, right wing UK politics.This episode was recorded on the 6th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Following the first review of the national curriculum in over a decade, children will be taught about budgeting, mortgages and how to spot fake news and AI generated content. Sounds dangerously useful. What do you wish you’d been taught in school, and how do you teach disinformation discernment?And, Zohran Mamdani is the new Mayor of New York City - the first South Asian and muslim person to be so. This is a significant blow to Donald Trump and the Republicans. James speaks with Ross Barkan, who collaborated with Mamdani on his own New York Senate campaign, to find out more about the Mayor.This episode was recorded on the 5th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Rachel Reeves has “no regrets” over potential breaches of Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise certain taxes in the upcoming Budget… why has she only addressed this and the fallout from 14 years of Conservative austerity, Brexit and Covid-19 now?Also, experts have stated that women must be given clearer warnings on the potentially fatal dangers of giving birth at home. Is it selfish to demand a home birth?And, Former US Vice-President Dick Cheney has passed away last night, at the age of 84. LBC’s Washington correspondent Simon Marks compares Trump’s Republican Party to that of Cheney’s, and updates us on the New York Mayoral election.This episode was recorded on the 4th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
A “32 year old black British national” has been charged with 11 counts of attempted murder following a knife attack on a train in Cambridgeshire on Saturday evening and a separate incident in London hours before. Following new guidance, police are now being forced to disclose the ethnicity of suspects in response to a rise in far-right speculation on social media. Why do people want to know the ethnicity of police suspects and should the police be telling them?This episode was recorded on the 3rd of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
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