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....
Nov 27, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 227
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...
Nov 26, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 226
Sir 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 a...
Nov 25, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 225
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 ...
Nov 24, 2025•55 min•Ep. 224
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 Nath...
Nov 21, 2025•57 min•Ep. 223
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 c...
Nov 20, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 222
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...
Nov 19, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 221
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 cas...
Nov 18, 2025•59 min•Ep. 220
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 ...
Nov 17, 2025•57 min•Ep. 219
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-pi...
Nov 14, 2025•55 min•Ep. 218
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 availa...
Nov 13, 2025•58 min•Ep. 217
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 threa...
Nov 12, 2025•59 min•Ep. 216
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 answ...
Nov 11, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 215
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 o...
Nov 10, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 214
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, R...
Nov 07, 2025•59 min•Ep. 213
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 d...
Nov 06, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 212
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, wh...
Nov 05, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 211
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....
Nov 04, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 210
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 3...
Nov 03, 2025•49 min•Ep. 209
Buckingham Palace has announced that Prince Andrew is to lose his prince title and will be leaving his Royal Lodge home in Windsor. What are the Royal Family for, what impact will Andrew have on the monarchy and why are we expected to bow for them? James is also joined by Emily Matlis, presenter of The News Agents podcast, whose 2019 interview with Andrew was a catalyst for his downfall. This episode was recorded on the 31s of October. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC....
Oct 31, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 208
Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed calls for an investigation into Chancellor Rachel Reeves after she apologised for breaking housing rules when renting out her family home… Is it just party politics driving this story or should she have known better? Also, Hurricane Melissa has continued its devastating sweep across the Caribbean, leaving dozens dead. The storm was fuelled by warming oceans, while the UN confirms that ‘humanity has missed its 1.5C climate target’... Why aren’t we taking more action...
Oct 30, 2025•58 min•Ep. 207
Labour's Employment Rights Bill, which would protect workers against zero-hour contracts and unfair dismissals has been sent back to Commons after large defeats in the House of Lords. James digs into the details and asks why employers would vote against this. And, the Government is defending its plan to use military barracks to house asylum seekers, despite these looking set to cost more than the hotels currently in use. They think it’s worth it to quell public disquiet around asylum hotels. But...
Oct 29, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 206
The Treasury is considering a “mansion-tax” for owners of higher-value properties to help pull the country out of its multi-billion pound hole. Is this fair? And, hundreds of asylum seekers could be housed in two military barracks as the government seeks to end the use of “asylum-hotels”. Is this good or bad politics from Sir Keir Starmer? This episode was recorded on the 28th of October. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Oct 28, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 205
“It drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people”. Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s racist comments have even drawn widespread criticism - but many from her party refuse to label the comments as racist. How can we best discuss the increase of racism in our public discourse? And, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a former asylum seeker and convicted sex offender who was released from prison in error is back in custody and faces deportation. Shockingly, accidental releases of pris...
Oct 27, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 204
With a potential tax rise on the horizon, James asked whether Rachel Reeves could handle the political and economic fallout. The UK currently relies on roughly 500,000 taxpayers for a third of all income and capital gains tax revenue, raising big questions about fairness, fiscal policy, and whether Labour risks breaking another key pledge if income tax increases. And, James turned to a stark new finding: the number of 16–24 year olds in England reporting symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder...
Oct 24, 2025•45 min•Ep. 203
The grooming gangs inquiry has been plunged into disarray this week - before it has even started - with four survivors quitting the panel and two frontrunners for chairperson withdrawing. Why is this, and what should the success of the inquiry look like? And, one in 12 secondary pupils report being put into school isolation rooms at least once a week where they often spend in excess of eight hours, missing more than a full day of lessons, according to research. Why is that, and what impact is it...
Oct 23, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 202
The family courts will no longer work on the presumption that having contact with both parents is in the best interests of a child. Campaigners say this will save many children’s lives. James asks his listeners to share their experiences and is joined by Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno, Director and Founder of SHERA, whose research was instrumental for this ruling. Also, Rachel Reeves has stressed the long term damage done to the British economy by Brexit in her remarks to the IMF. When will the governmen...
Oct 22, 2025•58 min•Ep. 201
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in front of the Covid Inquiry today, speaking about the effect of the pandemic and his own policy decisions on young people. How did the lockdowns affect you or the young people in your life? And, The Economist has argued that legalising cocaine would have myriad societal benefits, eliminating the price premium that incentivises dangerous gang activity, freeing up space and resources within the criminal justice system and ensuring the product itself was sa...
Oct 21, 2025•59 min•Ep. 200
Parliament is under mounting pressure to examine what the royal family knew about Prince Andrew’s links to Jeffrey Epstein and strip him of his titles. Why do we care so much about this shameful story? And, Conservative MP Katie Lam says that all immigrants in the UK legally that have indefinite leave to remain should be deported. Her comments have gone largely unchallenged - how do you feel about this? This episode was recorded on the 20th of October. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on L...
Oct 20, 2025•58 min•Ep. 199
Sir Keir Starmer has condemned a decision banning fans of Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv from supporting their Europa League fixture against Aston Villa in November. The decision has been taken because of the perceived potential for violent clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli fans. Was this the right decision? And, new research shows that millennial fathers want to spend more time looking after their kids - but workplaces are yet to catch up. What’s it like being a ...
Oct 17, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 198
