James O'Brien Daily

Lewis Goodall of The News Agents podcast is covering for James O’Brien all this week live on LBC from 10am, and of course, right here on James O’Brien Daily.Reform UK has overtaken Labour and is topping a landmark YouGov poll for the first time. Lewis compares this with the rise of right wing nationalist parties across Europe and asks if populism can be stopped.Also, the parents of the late Thomas Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent's daughter, are calling for changes in how antidepressants are prescribed following Thomas tragically taking his own life. Lewis asks Dr Simon Opher, Labour MP, leading GP and chair of the All Parliamentary Group, “Beyond Pills”, whether Brits are over-prescribed with antidepressants.And, it's been reported in the US that President Donald Trump has given Elon Musk access to the internal federal payments system that controls the flow of trillions of dollars in government funds every year. Is Elon Musk a significant danger, or an innovator?This episode was recorded on the 4th February. Catch Lewis Goodall, in for James O'Brien, each day this week from 10am until Friday on LBC.

Lewis Goodall of The News Agents podcast is covering for James O’Brien all this week live on LBC from 10am, and of course, right here on James O’Brien Daily.Over the weekend, Trump announced 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, and hit China with a 10% levy. He’s also renewed calls for Canada to become America’s 51st state. Lewis speaks with Canada’s High Commissioner Ralph Goodale and UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and asks his listeners whether we’re witnessing the collapse of the US as the leader of the free world.Lewis also speaks with Former International Development and Foreign Office Minister, Alistair Burt, to speak about the consequences of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s plans to shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).This episode was recorded on the 3rd February. Catch Lewis Goodall, in for James O'Brien, each day this week from 10am until Friday on LBC.

Five years ago today, the UK left the European Union. YouGov polling this week showed just 3 in 10 Brits now think it was the right decision. James asks how so many fell for the promises of the Vote Leave campaign and who should take the most responsibility for Brexit. He also takes a look through the Brexit archives and plays some of the most shocking interviews with politicians and the public from the run up to the referendum… including the Nigel Farage phone-in that broke the internet.This episode was recorded on the 31st January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The UK population is set to rise by nearly 5 million over the course of a decade, largely because of net migration, but how do you convince people that, despite what many politicians and newspapers say, the UK does in fact need significant levels of immigration?Also, according to a survey of teachers in England and Wales, some children are starting reception “unable to climb a staircase” and still in nappies. Are parents failing to support their children’s early development, or is this a result of the “iPad generation”?And, Mystery Hour is back!This episode was recorded on the 30th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered a major speech this morning, in which she promised to create the “right conditions” to support growth in the British economy and outlined just how Labour intends to do that. James, his listeners and LBC’s Political Editor Natasha Clark analyse the speech.Also, it’s Prime Minister’s Questions and James speaks with LBC’s Political Correspondent Aggie Chambre to digest all the details.And, a UK law firm that was used by the sanctioned Russian mercenary chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to sue the British journalist Elliot Higgins, has been found to have acted lawfully. Peter Geoghegan, author of Democracy for Sale, explains the controversy.This episode was recorded on the 29th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

England’s children’s commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has said that children involved in last year’s race riots following the Southport attacks should have their criminal records wiped clean. James asks whether this should be the case and why.And, former Premier League referee David Coote has come out as gay and revealed that a life spent hiding his sexuality led to “really poor choices”, including using cocaine, that led to his sacking last year. To what extent is explicit homophobia still a major feature of football and wider society?This episode was recorded on the 28th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, James asks how the dehumanisation of an entire group of people can happen. He interviews Laurence Rees, historian and BAFTA winning documentary maker, who’s latest book is “The Nazi Mind: Twelve Warnings From History”. James also reminisces on a conversation with his late friend and Holocaust survivor, Lili Pohlmann.This episode was recorded on the 27th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The Southport killer, Axel Rudakubana, has been sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in jail. In the aftermath of this horrific crime, in which he stabbed 3 girls to death at a Taylor Swift themed dance class, James ask what “evil” is, and whether people can be born evil. James speaks to Rudakubana’s father’s former English teacher.Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told LBC today that “there are too many young men, online, obsessing over violent material”. What are the signs that your teenager is consuming dangerous material online?And James discusses the recent story of a pregnant hairdresser who was demoted to cleaning and making tea after she announced she was expecting. She has since won almost £90,000 in compensation. Did your employer have a negative reaction to your pregnancy?This episode was recorded on the 24th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Following Prince Harry and Lord Watson’s emphatic victory in their lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers, which publishes The Sun, James asks two questions. Firstly, following NGN’s admission of criminal wrongdoing, should the police should pursue the case further? Secondly, have enough of the UK media already cultivated sufficient anti-Sussex sentiment to prevent this from happening?The government has pledged to build major infrastructure projects like nuclear power stations, railway lines and wind farms built faster under new planning rules, while Keir Starmer vows to curb “Nimby” legal blocks to such projects. What’s the reality of getting major building projects off the ground, or, being the “Nimbys” in question?And, Mystery Hour returns, where the public phone in to ask and answer questions about absolutely whatever they want!This episode was recorded on the 23rd January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Unprecedented news broke today: Prince Harry and Lord Watson have settled a long-running legal battle with publishers of The Sun, News Group Newspapers. James analyses Rupert Murdoch’s News Group’s "full and unequivocal apology" and payment, and finds out what the settlement means with a consultant to Prince Harry’s legal team, Dr Evan Harris.And how was Southport killer Axel Rudakubana able to buy a knife aged just 17 on Amazon and watch violent terrorist content on X in the hour before killing three young girls? Can the government rein in these tech platforms and their billionaire owners to stop these atrocities happening again?This episode was recorded on the 22nd January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The father of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana stopped his son from returning to his former school a week before he stabbed three young girls to death in July last year at a Taylor Swift dance class. James wonders how scared Rudakubana's father was at what his son was capable of and asks what parents with potentially violent children can do to prevent the worst.And Elon Musk made what many suggested to be Nazi salutes at Donald Trump’s inauguration yesterday. James contemplates just how wide our window of acceptable opinion has reached.This episode was recorded on the 21st January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Israel has freed 90 Palestinian prisoners, after the first three Israeli hostages were released from Hamas captivity as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. James asks how this conflict has changed listener’s perception of the region’s geo-political landscape.On the day of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration, why have liberals and much of the media gone soft on Trump and the shocking behaviours that would normally prevent re-election.And James hears directly from Liverpool Crown Court as LBC’s reporter Liam Gotting shares the details of today's breaking news that Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to murdering three young girls in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport last year.This episode was recorded on the 20th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

A teenager has been found guilty of the murder of schoolgirl Elianne Andam, who was stabbed to death in South London in 2023. Her killer admitted manslaughter, claiming he was not in control of his actions because of his autism, which the jury rejected. James asks whether autism should ever be used as a reasonable defence in court?An international study has found that children of a particular gender are more likely to receive preferential treatment from their parents. This prompted James to pose three questions: how does one knows if they’re a favourite, how parents pick their favourite, and how it feels if the favourite isn't you.Plus, James digests the conclusions of a new report into UK accent based stereotypes, with the help from his listeners.This episode was recorded on the 17th of January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC. 

Israel and Hamas have agreed a ceasefire in Gaza with a hostage release deal following the past 15 months of war. With headlines stating that Palestinians will be able to “return to their homes”, James asks his listeners what they may be returning back to?And in her first major speech of 2025, Kemi Badenoch criticised her predecessors for mishandling Brexit, stating that the Conservative Party had offered policy without a plan. James asks his listeners what difference Brexit has actually made to their lives.Plus its the welcome return of Mystery Hour.This episode was recorded on the 16th of January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC. 

The founder and former boss of BrewDog, James Watt has said that Britain is one of the “least work-oriented countries in the world” and that the country’s obsession with a work-life balance is one invented by those unhappy with their own careers. James O'Brien asks his listeners whether this is true of their employees, and if so, why?With a new study finding the ‘Cost of dying’ in the UK has hit record levels, with the average funeral cost at £9,797, James asks his listeners to share their opinions on a rather sensitive topic - haggling with a funeral director. Plus It's Prime Minister Questions where LBC Political Editor Natasha Clark helps James digest all the happenings.This episode was recorded on the 15th of January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC. 

Donald Trump would have been convicted of crimes over his failed attempt to cling to power in 2020, if not for his victory in last year’s US presidential election, according to the special counsel who investigated him. James speaks to a professor of American Politics and his LBC listeners to try and work out why so many people simply don’t care about political conduct that used to be unforgivable.He also tackles the recent polling that has found that one in five Britons aged 18-45 would prefer to be governed by unelected leaders, instead of democratically elected ones. Why do so many young people in particular feel this way?This episode was recorded on the 14th of January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC. 

With the government readying to set out plans on how it can use artificial intelligence across the UK to boost growth and streamline public services, James calls on his most AI-qualified listeners to tell us exactly how this can change our lives, and whether we should fear its rise.He also speaks to NHS patients and professionals about the troubling normality of “corridor care” following the advertisement from a North London Hospital for a 'Corridor Nurse'.This episode was recorded on the 13th of January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.