James O'Brien Daily

President Trump’s state visit to the UK has come to a close. For some, Starmer’s played a blinder. He’s secured a new technology prosperity deal that’s set to draw in billions in investment and strengthened his relationship with Trump. For others, he’s capitulated to an immoral, fascistic President. How do you think it went?And, the French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, are suing right wing influencer Candace Owens for promoting her belief that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man. Why has Owens done this and are the Macrons responding correctly?This episode was recorded on the 19th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has had his programme axed after suggesting that President Donald Trump used Charlie Kirk’s assassination to score political points. Arriving in Chequers today as part of his UK state visit, Trump described the decision to axe the show as “great news for America”.  How serious is this moment for freedom of speech? James discusses this and more LBC’s Washington Editor Simon Marks and Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.This episode was recorded on the 18th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The UK has rolled out the red carpet for Donald Trump on his second state visit, with Keir Starmer preparing to welcome him to Chequers tomorrow for talks on tariffs, steel, and aluminium. But has Starmer played a stellar game in managing his relationship with Trump, or should he have stood up more firmly to the US president’s demands? James put the question to his listeners: Is Keir playing his cards right, or not?Meanwhile, Health Minister Wes Streeting has condemned the weekend’s far-right marches, saying the scenes were “not the kind of country any of us want to live in.” James asked his audience to share their lived experiences of being on the receiving end of far-right hostility.This episode was recorded on the 17th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC.

A United Nations inquiry has concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. It is the first time the allegation has been made publicly by a UN body, and has been greeted with fury by the Israeli government. With this conclusion, James asked listeners: What has Benjamin Netanyahu done to Israel’s reputation?And, currently in America, a growing number of organisations have fired workers over comments made online about remarks they made about Charlie Kirk's death or his political beliefs. Among them, Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah lost her job after posts on gun control and race in the aftermath of Kirk’s killing. To unpack the implications, James spoke with LBC’s Washington Correspondent, Simon Marks.This episode was recorded on the 16th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC.

Over the weekend, Elon Musk made a speech online for the Far-Right “Unite the Kingdom” march in London, organised by Tommy Robinson. Musk told attendees to “either fight back or you die”, remarks that Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has condemned as dangerous incitement to violence. Today, James turned his focus to Musk’s words and asked listeners: how should Keir Starmer respond?And the political landscape shifted again as Tory MP and shadow minister Danny Kruger defected to Reform. Accusing the Conservatives of clinging to “defunct institutions” and “sham unity” since their election defeat, Kruger declared the party stuck in “stasis.” James asked his audience: is this truly the end of the road for the Tories?And finally, presenter and broadcaster Roman Kemp joined James in the studio to talk about his new Premier League-backed initiative aimed at breaking the taboo around mental health.This episode was recorded on the 15th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC.

Despite Keir Starmer’s insistence that he has full confidence in his “top team”, his leadership faces fresh scrutiny after losing two key allies: his Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, and, more recently, US Ambassador Peter Mandelson, who resigned following revelations of his links to Jeffrey Epstein. But while Downing Street backs Keir, does the country still back him?James also turned to international news, reflecting on the death of Charlie Kirk and the fallout surrounding MSNBC’s firing of political commentator Matthew Dowd over on-air remarks just minutes after the event. Beyond the headlines, James asked: will America truly change in response?This episode was recorded on the 12th of September. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC. 

A manhunt is ongoing for the “college age” killer of conservative activist and influential Trump ally Charlie Kirk, who died after being shot at a university in Utah yesterday. Donald Trump has blamed the killing on "radical left political violence" - yet next to nothing is known about the killer. What did Charlie Kirk stand for and why has his killing prompted this extraordinarily political outpouring? And, the UK Ambassador to the US, Lord Peter Mandelson, has been sacked by the Prime Minister over links to his “best pal” and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. James discusses what these links are and what the ramifications of the sacking will be with LBC’s Washington Correspondent Simon Marks and reporter Henry Riley.This episode was recorded on the 11th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Israel has launched a strike on Hamas officials in Qatar’s capital, Doha, reportedly including the group’s chief ceasefire negotiator, who was meeting there to discuss the potential for a ceasefire in Gaza. Is there any point in negotiating with Israel?And, Sir Keir Starmer has rejected growing calls to sack the UK’s ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over his dealings with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. These indlude claims that Epstein brokered a deal involving Mandelson after Epstein had been convicted of child sex offences, and a 50th birthday from the ambassador calling Epstein his “best pal”. Should Peter Mandleson stay, or go?This episode was recorded on the 10th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The NHS has for the first time published league tables ranking every trust in England. Is this really a good idea?And, the London tube strike concludes its second full day, with a union leader warning that industrial relations have "totally collapsed". How do you decide whether or not to support a strike?This episode was recorded on the 9th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

It’s Online Safety Day at LBC - James discusses what unfettered access to pornography has done to children and how we can know if the Online Safety Act is actually working to protect kids from harmful content.Also, the Met Police arrested almost 900 people at a protest against the proscribing of Palestine Action as a terror group on Saturday. Has the government made a mistake in banning the group and should they reverse it?And, James speaks with Meetali Jain, Director of the Tech Justice Law Project, which is supporting a family who are suing OpenAI over the death of their teenage son. They allege that Chat GPT encouraged their son, Adam Raine, to take his own life.This episode was recorded on the 8th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

James navigated an extraordinary moment in British politics with the breaking news of Angela Rayner’s resignation from Government.Before the announcement, James invited listeners to share their perspectives on the independent investigation led by Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s adviser on ministerial standards. Although the story has dominated headlines since Wednesday, James sought insights directly from professionals within the field.Midway through the programme, the news broke: Angela Rayner had resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, following revelations she had breached the ministerial code over her underpayment of stamp duty on her £800,000 seaside flat. To help unpack the implications of this dramatic development, James was joined by LBC’s Political Correspondent Aggie Chambre. Together, they explored what the resignation means for Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour Party, and the wider political landscape.This episode was recorded on Friday, the 5th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC.

Pressure is mounting on the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner, after she admitted to underpaying stamp duty on her £800,000 flat. Should she stay, or should she go?And, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has testified before the US House Judiciary Committee to discuss freedom of speech. Democrat congressman, Jamie Raskin, referred to Farage as a "Putin-loving, free-speech imposter and Trump sycophant" - James analyses the extensive evidence backing this up.This episode was recorded on the 4th of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Sir Keir Starmer is considering introducing digital ID cards in a bid to crack down on small boat crossings. These ID cards would be issued to everyone, nationwide - but what are the security pros and the invasion of privacy cons?Also, James speaks to Jessica Elgot, Deputy Political Editor of The Guardian on her story that has cast serious doubt over Kemi Badenoch’s claim she received an offer to study medicine from Stanford University.In other news, alarmingly, the fertility rate for England and Wales has fallen to a record low. In Greece, 5% of schools are being closed as the country’s birth rate drops. Why is this happening?And, James is joined by LBC’s Political Editor Natasha Clark to analyse today’s breaking news: Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards over failing to pay the correct stamp duty on the purchase of her second home.This episode was recorded on the 3rd of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The government is temporarily suspending new applications for a scheme allowing refugees to bring their family members to the UK. The move has been called out as another attempt to appeal to those swept up by growing anti-immigrant sentiment. How can this country operate when such views dominate so much of the discourse and who is Keir Starmer trying to appeal to exactly?And, Zack Polanski has been elected leader of the Green Party by a landslide. He campaigned with an agenda of radical eco-populism - this signals a clear shift to the left for the party. James speaks with LBC’s Political Correspondent, Aggie Chambre, to discuss the appointment.This episode was recorded on the 2nd of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

This summer, thousands of St George's flags have been seen painted on roundabouts and hung from lamp-posts across the country. Supporters say the flags are an expression of English pride, whilst critics say they're a nationalist expression of racism. What do you think, and how do the flags make you feel? And, the most comprehensive poll of British 16 and 17-year-olds has revealed that nearly 70 per cent of girls have skipped school because of anxiety. James is interested in the difference between children that can’t go to school because of poor mental health and those that just don’t want to - and how to help the kids that can’t.This episode was recorded on the 1st of September. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

To finish off LBC’s week-long guest series is Sir Ed Davey. He asks the callers what they think of his controversial boycotting of King Charles’ state banquet for Donald Trump’s visit next month. Do you think he was right to refuse the invitation because of Trump's inaction regarding Gaza?Next, Ed looks bigger. During his second term, Donald Trump has changed the world order. In Ed’s opinion, he is no longer a reliable ally to the UK. Of course, not everyone agrees with this - meaning Keir Starmer’s approach to Trump is a source of great debate. Ed thinks a different approach is needed, what do you think?This episode was recorded on the 29th of August. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Continuing LBC’s week-long guest series is James Cleverly, the Shadow Secretary of State for Housing. James’ colleague and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that children are being overdiagnosed with mental health conditions and that society needs to remember that growing up is naturally “messy and uneven”. Are we doing our children a disservice, and how helpful is a diagnosis if your child is genuinely struggling? And, the fertility rate for England and Wales has hit a record low according to the latest figures - our population is aging rapidly. Why is this happening and what can we do to try and fix it, beyond the obvious?This episode was recorded on the 28th of August. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC.

Continuing LBC’s week-long guest series is Emily Thornberry, Labour MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Despite asylum hotel numbers dropping from 400 to just over 200 and new policies targeting the asylum claim back-log left by the previous government, this summer has seen more anti-immigration protests than ever before. Sometimes the simple questions have the most complex answers: why is it all kicking off now?And, Russia's military has crossed into the eastern industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk in Ukraine, the first attack of such a large scale in the region. Donald Trump seems to think he can end the war and is reportedly prepared to provide intelligence and air support as part of a Ukrainian post-war security guarantee - but do you trust Donald Trump to negotiate a peace?This episode was recorded on the 27th of August. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC.

To kick off LBC’s week-long guest series, former Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt stepped in for James O’Brien to tackle one of the most divisive issues in British politics: the small boats crisis. On the same day Reform UK unveiled their plans on illegal immigration, Penny asked listeners: Do you believe today’s politicians are capable of solving it—and if not, why not?Penny then widened the discussion, posing whether the UK is still a capable nation. From the NHS to benefits, shoplifting, the exodus of wealth from London, and even trolling from our closest allies. Penny asked listeners whether Britain’s institutions—and national pride—are faltering.And, Penny turned her attention to an issue close to her, the hospitality sector, where half of UK job losses are now concentrated. As entry-level roles disappear, is government policy stifling opportunity in what has long been a barometer of the wider economy?This episode was recorded on the 26th of August. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC.

This is a catch-up version of James O'Brien's Mystery Hour from the 14th August. The James O'Brien Daily Podcast will return after the bank holiday, on Tuesday 26th August and will be presented all that week by very special guests! James returns on the 1st September.

One in four Labour members have said they’d consider supporting Jeremy Corbyn’s new left-wing, pro-Gaza party at the next general election. This news comes at a pertinent time - a UN-backed food security body announced today that famine has been confirmed in Gaza City. Lewis speaks with Zack Polanski, Deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales and Jan Egeland, General Secretary of the Norwegian Refugee Council and one of the architects of the Oslo Accords to hear their thoughts.And, Lewis dives back into the controversial proposition he made yesterday - that there should be a 100% inheritance tax. Fellow LBC presenter, Iain Dale, and lead writer for The Times, Sebastian Payne, join Lewis in fiery debate. This episode was recorded on the 22nd August. Catch Lewis Goodall, in for James O’Brien, all this week from 10am on LBC.

Israel has taken the first steps in a take-over of Gaza City and wider occupation of the entirety of Gaza. This comes despite widespread condemnation and warnings that the offensive will likely lead to the displacement and death of many more Palestinians. Lewis discusses the ongoing conflict with the callers and is joined by Yaakov Katz, former advisor to the previous Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett.And, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who’s been considering tightening inheritance tax in order to help balance the deficit, has been warned the move will hurt young families. Lewis disagrees, and proposes a bold 100% inheritance tax. What are your thoughts?This episode was recorded on the 21st August. Catch Lewis Goodall, in for James O’Brien, all this week from 10am on LBC.

By the end of March this year there were 200 “asylum hotels”, housing around 30,000 asylum seekers. Yesterday, a high court ruled that asylum seekers will have to be removed from the Bell Hotel in Essex - a site of large protests after an asylum seeker staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. To break it down, Lewis speaks with Lauren Starkey, independent social worker & anti-human trafficking campaigner, and Lizzie Dearden, home affairs and security journalist.And, the government is launching a new Civil Service internship that’ll be open only to students of lower socio-economic backgrounds, in an effort to make Whitehall more representative of the wider population. Investigating this is LBC’s Political Editor Natasha Clark, who joins Lewis to explain the impacts this internship could have.This episode was recorded on the 20th August. Catch Lewis Goodall, in for James O’Brien, all this week from 10am on LBC.35:26.820

Welcome to another instalment of James O’Brien Daily hosted by Lewis Goodall of the LBC and The News Agents, who’s stepping in for James all this week.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hails Monday's talks with Donald Trump and European leaders as "significant" - despite progress to a peace deal or a security guarantee. Trump has, however, contacted Putin to arrange a meeting between him and Zelensky as a next step.Lewis talks through what this all means with some special guests, including Lord Peter Ricketts, cross-bench peer & former UK national security adviser, Carlo Masala, professor of international politics and author of "If Russia Wins", and Aria Shahrokhshahi, a British filmmaker who now volunteers on the front lines on Ukraine.And, Lewis discusses Palestine Action and the home secretary’s defence of its proscription as a terrorist group - a move met with condemnation by many. To date, over 700 people have been arrested for supporting the group.This episode was recorded on the 19th August. Catch Lewis Goodall, in for James O’Brien, all this week from 10am on LBC.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, along with Keir Starmer and other European leaders, are meeting Donald Trump today in an effort to end the Ukraine War. Just last night Russian drone attacks killed at least 10 people across Ukraine. Lewis discusses this pivotal moment with Hanna Hopko, Former head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament & Co-founder International Centre for Ukrainian Victory, and Leigh Turner, Former British Ambassador to Ukraine & author of "Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties".And, following yesterday’s nationwide strike in Israeli, with protestors demanding a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages, Lewis speaks with Noga Tarnopolsky, a freelance journalist based in Jerusalem and Idit Ohel, the mother of Alon Ohel, an Israeli hostage kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th.This episode was recorded on the 18th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The long awaited meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will be taking place today in Alaska. Putin will inevitably seek the handover of Ukrainian territory as part of any “peace” agreement. Is this already a win for Putin? If he and Trump carve up Ukraine today, then what can Ukraine and Europe do about it? James' Europe-based callers share their viewpoints.And, along with A-Level exam results came the usual debate around whether higher education in this country is up to scratch or not… why do people overwhelmingly still want to go to university?This episode was recorded on the 15th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Sir Keir Starmer held a breakfast meeting with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of Donald Trump and Putin's summit on Friday, at which they'll discuss ending the war in Ukraine. What the results of that summit will be is anyone’s guess. Can you conceive of a world in which a united Europe stands against Russia - without the US?And, James dives back into yesterday’s conversation on LBC’s exclusive access to an undercover police operation to protect female joggers from harassment - resulting in 18 arrests last month. A recent opinion piece claimed that Australian men don’t harass women anywhere near as much as British men do. James callers’ say different… This episode was recorded on the 14th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The police are being encouraged to disclose the ethnicity and nationality of suspects charged in high-profile cases, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper saying that the government and the public want "greater transparency". Why is the government encouraging this? An attempt to appease right-wing liars, diffuse right-wing lies, or something else?And, LBC has been granted exclusive access to a new police operation in Surrey designed to combat a surge of reports of women being harassed while running. James asks women what it feels like to receive unwanted attention when they're out and about.This episode was recorded on the 13th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky isn’t invited - not surprising, seeing as Trump consistently blames him for the ongoing war. What’s the point of this meeting and why does Trump seem to blame Zelensky?And, today, the government announced that 40,000 future tradespeople will be up-skilled in new “technical excellence colleges” in order to help “turbocharge the building of new homes, schools and hospitals”. Would you direct your child to work in a trade?This episode was recorded on the 12th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Yvette Cooper has defended the arrest of more than 500 people holding signs expressing their opposition to genocide and support of Palestine Action, a proscribed terror group. Around half of them were aged 60 and above - including almost 100 people who were in their 70s. James also speaks to Tamer Almisshal, senior presenter at Al Jazeera Arabic, to discuss Israel’s killing of five Al Jazeera journalists on Saturday, an action that has caused outrage across the world.And, according to the Education Secretary, white working-class pupils are being ‘written off” and not getting what they need in the education system to achieve and thrive. Which steps lead to pupils, or led to you, becoming detached from the education system?This episode was recorded on the 11th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Benjamin Netanyahu has approved plans for the "takeover of Gaza City" ahead of a full military occupation of the entirety of Gaza. Condemned by those calling for an end to the war, Sir Keir Starmer stated the decision is "wrong" and has called on Israel to reconsider. What is Netanyahu's endgame and and how should world leaders react?This episode was recorded on the 8th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Homelessness minister Rushanara Ali is facing calls to resign after claims she evicted tenants from an east London townhouse, shortly before re-listing the property at £700 increased rent a month. This practice will soon be illegal under the government’s upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill. Should she stay or should she go?And, in an interview about her childhood in Nigeria and hatred of rule-breakers, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch revealed that, as a teenager, she got one of her peers expelled by accusing him of cheating on an exam. James and his listeners share their thoughts on the controversial anecdote…This episode was recorded on the 7th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has called for information about police suspects such as nationality and immigration status to be shared with the public. This comes amidst growing far-right unrest about - most recently - the alleged rape of a 12 year old girl in Nuneaton. The suspects are reportedly Afghan, with Reform UK claiming they’re asylum seekers. Will more transparency diffuse racist propaganda, or increase the likelihood of racist violence?And, a new study indicates that childhood verbal abuse can be as detrimental to adult mental health as physical abuse. James asks his callers whether their experiences align with this research.This episode was recorded on the 6th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The latest YouGov polling shows that over half of Brits incorrectly think more migrants are in the UK illegally than legally. In reality, 96% of immigrants are here legally. How did this catastrophic misconception happen and what can be done about it?And, the Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, has accused Sir Keir Starmer of giving Hamas a “prize for terror”, regarding the Prime Minister’s statement that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state if Israel allows aid into Gaza, amongst other conditions. What difference would this recognition make to Gaza and the world?This episode was recorded on the 5th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Sir Keir Starmer is giving serious consideration to the idea of introducing a digital ID system - in defiance of longstanding warnings by civil liberty advocates. Are you for or against digital ID, and why?And, Channel 4 has aired a documentary detailing 6 months in the life of Bonnie Blue, the pornographic actress who claims to have slept with 1,057 men in one day. Why are so many of us disturbed by the likes of Bonnie Blue and what she represents?This episode was recorded on the 4th August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Heathrow Airport has submitted its “shovel-ready” plans for a third runway that’d allow 750 additional flights a day over London and, according to the government, generate 100,000 jobs. The Prime Minister loves the idea, whereas London Mayor Sadiq Khan is fighting tooth and nail against it. Who’s side are you on and why? And, the main internship scheme that draws university students to the civil service will now only be available for students from "lower socio-economic backgrounds", in efforts to get more of the working class into Whitehall. Do you agree with this? What will the benefits of this be?This episode was recorded on the 1st August. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Britain’s biggest police force is set to more than double its use of live facial recognition. Many are worries about the ethical use of the technology, particularly considering its complete lack of regulation. When do you stop using tech that does good, in order to prevent it being used for something bad in the future?And, Brits are “cheating the system” to get hold of weight-loss jabs before their holidays, Wes Streeting has claimed. The Health Secretary says people are pretending to be overweight, thus making themselves eligible for Mounjaro and Wegovy, which hugely reduce feelings of hunger and cravings. James speaks to these people - and ponders whether they’re actually doing anything wrong.This episode was recorded on the 31st July. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the UK will join the other 147 UN nations that recognise the sovereign state of Palestinian, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire, amongst other conditions. Why has Starmer done this now and what is this likely to achieve?And, for the first time ever, No 10 is hosting a reception for social media influencers at Downing Street, in an attempt to reach voters on platforms beyond the traditional media. This is not James’ area of expertise - he wants to know what this is all about.This episode was recorded on the 30th July. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

A year ago today, the nation was struck by the horrific Southport killings, in which three young girls were murdered. Today, Jonathan Hall, the independent reviewer of UK terrorism legislation, told LBC that there should be a total ban on social media for under 16s. He believes social media can radicalise young people and fuel such crimes. Do you agree?And, loss of community spaces like youth clubs, pubs and leisure centres created the “tinderbox conditions” for last summer's racist far-right riots, a new report has found. How significant do you think this loss has been to the collapse of community spirit, and in the vacuum, the growth of the far-right?This episode was recorded on the 29th July. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

James analyses the current swathe of headlines such as “Deprivation and immigration straining social cohesion, says Rayner”, “Demonstrators clash at Epping hotel as protests spread nationwide” and “Two in five arrested for last summer’s UK riots had been reported for domestic abuse.” When the entire media and political class is portraying the UK as on the brink of catastrophe, how do we hold on to the truth?And, Greece and Turkey are battling major wildfires amid a severe heatwave. In Turkey, meteorologists recorded the country’s highest ever temperature on Saturday, 50.5C - several people have died. Why aren’t we more terrified of climate change, especially in comparison to issues such as immigration?This episode was recorded on the 28th July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Under new laws beginning today, under-13s in the UK must be barred from social media. How will it work and are there aspects of online identity verification that politicians might not have considered? Joining James to discuss the new laws is Lisa Kenevan, whose son Isaac died aged just 13 in a tragedy that she believes was caused by social media exposure. Now she and the parents of three other children who died in similar circumstances are suing TikTok.And, Sir Keir Starmer is being urged to include speaking skills into the national curriculum. Himself never a man of few words, James asks what it’s like struggling with speaking, and what difference oracy lessons could make.This episode was recorded on the 25th July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The BMA has said NHS bosses will be putting patients at risk from tomorrow's resident doctors' strike. Only non-urgent care will be cancelled - a move that will spread senior doctors too thinly according to the union. Considering their 22% pay rise across the last 2 years, do you support the doctor’s strikes this time round? Also, new data shows a third of 20 to 34-year-old men in the UK still live at home, a number much higher than their female counterparts - why is this? Is this “failure to launch” even still considered a failure? And what’s it like as the parent and the young adult in this scenario?And, James speaks with Sönke Iwersen, award-winning journalist at Germany’s top business newspaper, Handelsblatt, and one of the authors of “The Tesla Files”. Based on leaked Tesla documents, the book details disturbing alleged problems with the company and its car’s auto-pilot feature, and what drives Elon Musk.  This episode was recorded on the 24th July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Following two riots outside an asylum hotel in Epping last week, Sir Keir Starmer is demanding urgent action to avoid a repeat of last summer’s far-right violence. What should they do?Also, have you ever experienced brain fog? According to a new study, the Covid-19 pandemic may have aged our brains prematurely. Do you think this has happened to you?And, more than 100 NGOs warn that "mass starvation" is spreading across Gaza, accusing Israel of not allowing food into the strip. James speaks with Dr Joanne Perry, a doctor with Médecins Sans Frontières, based in Al Helou hospital in the north of Gaza, to find out more.This episode was recorded on the 23rd July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Israel has launched another offensive in Gaza, targeting the main hub for humanitarian efforts in the strip, Deir al-Balah, amid warnings of Palestinian starvation. This latest assault comes just after Israel killed at least 85 Palestinians waiting for aid on Sunday, in what has become almost daily slaughter. Yesterday, a joint statement issued by the UK and 27 other nations condemned Israel for the "drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians". The tide in the global community has turned - but what have you learned from this conflict?This episode was recorded on the 22nd July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Water regulator Ofwat will be scrapped and replaced with a new watchdog to “prevent the abuses of the past”, including an estimated £85 billion being extracted from the UK water industry, with next to no investment. Simple question here - what has happened to our water and why?Also, the Lionesses have decided to stop taking the knee to protest against racism before their Euro 2025 matches. This comes after England star Jess Carter received significant online racist abuse and a statement from teammate Lucy Bronze saying that taking the knee wasn’t working to tackle racism. What do you think of the Lionesses decision?And, James speaks with James Ball, Editor at the New World, who’s been covering the Jeffrey Epstein case since 2014 and explains how it could break Donald Trump.This episode was recorded on the 21st July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

MP Diane Abbott has said it "is obvious this Labour leadership wants me out" after the party suspended her for a second time over comments she made about the racism experienced by black people in comparison to the Jewish and Traveller communities. What do you think of comments?And, former Masterchef presenter John Torode has been sacked by the BBC for allegedly using the N-word twice. It’s been reported that he was repeating lyrics from rapper Kanye West’s hit Gold Digger, which contain the racial slur, at an after-work ­gathering six or seven years ago. Should he have been fired?This episode was recorded on the 18th July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Four MPs have been suspended by Labour for their rebellion against welfare cuts earlier this month. One of them, Rachel Maskell, described the cuts as "Dickensian” and belonging to a “different era and a different party". She’ll now sit as an independent and says that the suspension won’t silence her. What do you think about this moment of Starmer’s premiership and what makes a rebellion righteous, as opposed to dangerous?And, today’s breaking news - the government has confirmed that the voting age will be lowered to 16 across the UK for the next general election. James sees this as a universally positive move for our democracy. Do you agree?This episode was recorded on the 17th July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The previous government withheld news of their operation to relocate 24,000 Afghans to the UK in order to protect some of those that they’d put at risk of Taliban attack after a Ministry of Defence data leak. So, why did the government cover it up?Also, the two men that cut down the Sycamore Gap Tree have both been jailed for four years and three months. Is this a fair punishment?James is joined by Gabriel Shemirani, whose sister Paloma died from cancer last year at just 23 years old. They discuss Gabriel’s assertion that their mother pressured Paloma into refusing treatment based on conspiracy theories.And, James speaks with historian and author Dr Eliza Filby about her book "Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad", which explores the divide between those who can rely on family wealth and those who can’t - and the damage this is doing to society. This episode was recorded on the 16th July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Secondary school pupils in England are to be taught about "incel" culture, with a focus on positive role models for boys in efforts to tackle “manosphere” related misogyny. To help understand the importance of this, James asks what it’s like to grow up without a positive role model as a boy.And, James is joined by Lewis Goodall for the breaking story on which he’s been working for 2 years, but was legally required to keep secret - until today. Using an unprecedented super-injunction, the UK government witheld knowledge of a catastrophic data breach that exposed thousands of Afghan people who had worked with UK forces during the Afghanistan War, putting them in danger of attack by the Taliban. Since then, the government has undertaken a secret relocation operation of thousands of those Afghan people to the UK. This episode was recorded on the 15th July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting will meet representatives from the BMA this week, as he hopes to avert five days of strikes by resident doctors. Public support for the strikes has plummeted from 52% in the last round to 26%, according to new polling. Have you changed your mind on doctors strikes?Also, last week’s sacking of former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace came after 45 of the 83 allegations against him were upheld, including one of unwanted touching and three of exposing himself. In a statement he defended himself, citing his recently diagnosed autism as a reason for the alleged behaviour. Could autism have played a role in his alleged sexual misconduct?And, with MPs warning that a new mandatory duty to report child sex abuse could end up having "little or no consequence," James speaks with ​​Jonathan West, Director of Mandate Now, a pressure group that campaigns for more robust policy in the area.This episode was recorded on the 14th July. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10 am on LBC.