Today, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly known as Prince Andrew) was arrested by police. He remains in custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office. While the police searched several of Mountbatten-Windsor's residences for evidence, including the Royal Lodge in Windsor, the King released a statement saying "the law must take its course". James speaks with LBC reporters on the ground at Windsor, host of The News Agents Podcast, Emily Maitlis, who's landmark interview with Mountbatten-Wi...
Feb 19, 2026•56 min•Ep. 277
In their election manifesto, Labour committed to increasing the minimum wage of 18 to 20 year olds inline with those over 21... however, it’s been reported these changes are being delayed. Is it fair for an 18 year old to be given the same minimum wage as a 50 or 60 year old? And, middle-class women in their thirties and forties make up the bulk of the over 2 million people taking weight-loss jabs in the UK, a study has revealed. Most pay hundreds of pounds each month for the jabs. Are these dru...
Feb 18, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 276
Reform UK is no longer the bookmakers’ favourites to win the most seats at the next general election, according to new odds from Ladbrokes. This comes as a surprise to James, who asks why the Labour party appears to be doing so well. And, parents in Enfield, North London, have been told their children could be excluded from school if they are not fully vaccinated against measles, amid a recent outbreak. Should kids be excluded until they’re vaccinated? And, how do you handle a family member that...
Feb 17, 2026•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 275
The government has announced a crackdown on tech firms to protect children from harmful online content that could open the door to an Australia-style social media ban… but what is it specifically that makes social media so harmful? And, Britain and Germany’s highest ranking military leaders have made an unprecedented joint appeal to the public to accept the “moral” case for rearmament and the preparation for war with Russia. How can you convince the UK public that war with Russia is a possibilit...
Feb 16, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 274
The former Conservative Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, who is now a member of Reform UK, said on LBC that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is right on immigration. Why don’t black and brown right-wing politicians realise that when Ratcliffe claims immigrants are “colonising the UK”, that he’s talking about them? This episode was recorded on the 13th of February. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Feb 13, 2026•59 min•Ep. 273
The Monaco-based billionaire and Manchester United co-owner,Jim Ratcliffe, has faced a barrage of criticism since saying in an interview that the UK was being “colonised” by immigrants and citing inaccurate statistics, labelled as hypocritical and reminiscent of “far-right narratives”. What's it like as an ethnic minority person living in a country where racism is back in fashion? This episode was recorded on the 12th of February. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC....
Feb 12, 2026•55 min•Ep. 272
King Charles has said he’s “ready to support” the police as they consider allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, his brother. Shouldn’t the public be holding the Royal Family - which paid an estimated £12m to settle a sexual abuse case brought by Virginia Giuffre against Andrew in 2022 - under the same scrutiny as Sir Keir Starmer? Why doesn't society care more about Jeffrey Epstein's victims? Washington Correspondent Simon Marks shares the most important developments from the US and Ja...
Feb 11, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 271
Sir Keir Starmer has said he’ll "never walk away from the country that I love" and thanked his cabinet for their support after Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar called for him to stand down over the Mandelson-Epstein disaster. What does Starmer need to do now? What do you want from the Prime Minister? And, what's the opposition of populism? Plus, LBC Reporter Henry Riley is in the studio for always illuminating "Reform UK Watch". This episode was recorded on the 10th of February. Catch James O'...
Feb 10, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 270
Several cabinet ministers have publicly backed Keir Starmer after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called on the PM to resign over the Epstein-Madelson controversy. James asks why Keir Starmer is seemingly ill-suited for the role of Prime Minister, and is joined by LBC's Political Editor Natasha Clark to run through the resignation of Starmer's former director of communications, Tim Allan. This episode was recorded on the 9th of February. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC....
Feb 09, 2026•50 min•Ep. 269
Is Sir Keir Starmer’s time up? Some journalists are saying that it is, but James wants to look into how the situation might unfold and asks listeners to answer the question ‘Just why is Keir Starmer in so much trouble?’. In his final hour, James steps away from Keir Starmer, to talk about racism after an image that’s been shared online. This episode was recorded on the 6th February. Catch James O’Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Feb 06, 2026•52 min•Ep. 268
Sir Keir Starmer today apologised to Jeffrey Epstein's victims and says he is "sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies", ahead of appointing him as US Ambassador, saying he gave the impression he "barely knew" Epstein. James analyses the speech and asks his callers what they think… is this the end of the road for Starmer? This episode was recorded on the 5th of February. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Feb 05, 2026•51 min•Ep. 267
Keir Starmer said today that Peter Mandelson has "lied repeatedly" about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, that he regrets appointing Mandelson as US ambassador in 2024, and that he’ll release all material relating to the appointment - with some exemptions in the interest of national security. Kemi Badenoch has accused Starmer of trying to "sabotage" this file release, and opposition MPs are demanding answers. Will Keir Starmer survive this? This episode was recorded on the 4th of February....
Feb 04, 2026•58 min•Ep. 266
Peter Mandelson is to step down from the House of Lords after the latest release of Epstein files appear to show he leaked sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein in 2009 - after Epstein’s conviction of procuring a child for prostitution in 2008. What is wrong with the former Lord Mandelson? On a rather different note, the charity National Landscapes is undertaking government funded plans to remove barriers to ethnic minorities in each of its 46 “areas of outstanding natural beauty”. Why is it ...
Feb 03, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 265
Millions of the so-called “Epstein Files” have been released by the US Department of Justice, the largest number of documents shared by the government since a law mandated their release last year. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew), President Donald Trump, Peter Mandelson, Bill Clinton and Elon Musk are just a few of the vast number of rich and powerful people implicated. So… why hasn’t the world stopped yet? This episode was recorded on the 2nd of Feb. Catch James O'Brien weekd...
Feb 02, 2026•54 min•Ep. 264
Sir Keir Starmer has brushed off criticism from Donald Trump after a visit to China, during which he negotiated the lifting of sanctions on British MPs. Should we be doing business with China, and why do we know so little about the world’s second biggest economy? And, Kemi Badenoch has said that centrist ideas are no longer wanted in the Conservative Party, arguing that one nation-type Tories or those who have qualms over the party's move to the right “need to get out of the way”. Where do old-s...
Jan 30, 2026•59 min•Ep. 263
Donald Trump has warned Iran that "time is running out" to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme following the steady build-up of US military forces in the Gulf. The risk of military intervention edges closer... so James asks his listeners with connections to Iran whether they’d support an American attack. And, James is joined by LBC Reporter Henry Riley, with an exclusive story - Reform Leader Nigel Farage has opened an investigation into a Reform candidate, Mike Manning, after he was accus...
Jan 29, 2026•52 min•Ep. 262
Freeholders may “resort to lawfare” to block the government’s £250 cap on ground rents, Angela Rayner has warned, as leasehold experts urged ministers to speed up the “glacial” pace of reform. James digs into the truth around leaseholds - is it a heinous system that protects the interests of the wealthy? And, James is joined by Washington Editor Simon Marks who shares the latest from the US following the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by ICE, as well as Donald Trump’s warning to I...
Jan 28, 2026•49 min•Ep. 261
Around 50 Labour MPs have signed a letter objecting to Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to block Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from standing in a forthcoming by-election. Is he acting for the greater good? Shockingly, a quarter of UK GPs are seeing obese children aged 4 and younger. Why do we still have such an alarming problem with childhood obesity, and how should parents and doctors tackle it? Also, talented white working-class pupils “lose ground” at secondary school, compared with their ...
Jan 27, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 260
Two killings in Minneapolis by ICE in two weeks… Alex Pretti was a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who supported veterans with life threatening illnesses. The Trump administration labelled Pretti as a “domestic terrorist” who was looking to cause harm - this is at odds with the footage of the incident, a video that has caused global outrage. James is pretty certain that the US has crossed the line into fascism… how should this be covered in the media and what does it mean for our greatest histo...
Jan 26, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 259
President Donald Trump has claimed NATO troops avoided the front lines during the Afghanistan War and that he “wasn’t sure” troops would support the US in the future. 457 British service personnel were killed in the conflict. James speaks with those who’ve served in the forces to discuss just how wrong - and offensive - Trump’s claims are. And, James is also joined by Emily Maitlis, who’s been in Minneapolis reporting on ICE’s activities, including the detainment of a 5-year old boy in Minnesota...
Jan 23, 2026•59 min•Ep. 258
President Trump has backed down on his tariff threats against the European states who opposed his plans to take over Greenland. He then announced a Gaza “Master Plan” and his Board of Peace, inviting world leaders, including Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu, to join after paying an entry fee of £1b each. What can we actually learn from this? This episode was recorded on the 22nd of January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.
Jan 22, 2026•51 min•Ep. 257
Donald Trump has told European leaders that the US is the “only country” that could secure Greenland, calling for "immediate negotiations" to acquire the Danish territory, but insisting he "won't use force"... How do we explain why Trump is doing all of this? And, how have British commentators been so unbelievably wrong about him? And, James is joined by comedian Stewart Lee, who’s needing to rewrite some of the material for his latest tour given the recent upturning of the entire world order. T...
Jan 21, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 256
Donald Trump said there was "no going back" on his plan to take control of Greenland. He also posted images of himself placing an American flag on the Danish territory, and a message that seemingly shows the NATO General Secretary supporting his demands. Should Europe hit back? And, Brooklyn Beckham has launched an astonishing attack on his “controlling” parents, cutting them off and claiming they’ve consistently tried to ruin his marriage. It's easy to forget that the Beckham’s deal with family...
Jan 20, 2026•58 min•Ep. 255
James starts with Keir Starmer's national address today, in which he said Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs on the UK for its support of Greenland was “hugely wrong”. Should the Prime Minister have done more? Also sharing his analysis is LBC's Washington Editor Simon Marks. And, Prince Harry and another six claimants, including Elton John and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence, are taking the Daily Mail publishers to court. James speaks with Dr Evan Harris, Former Lib D...
Jan 19, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 254
Britain’s voting behaviour is becoming ever more erratic, as public trust in mainstream politics continues to fray. From the long tail of Brexit to the hypocrisies of the Conservatives, James unpacks why political disillusionment is deepening and how populist sentiment has filled the vacuum. With former Tory figures finding a home in Nigel Farage’s camp, is this realignment a protest vote, or a sign of something far more terminal for British politics? And, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan joins th...
Jan 16, 2026•59 min•Ep. 253
Of the Iranian regime and the high probability of American military intervention, Donald Trump’s potential annexation of Greenland, and Russia’s all-out assault of Ukraine, which is the crisis that is most devastatingly urgent? And, today, former Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick joined Reform UK after being sacked by Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch. Is a nail in the Conservative’s coffin? This episode was recorded on the 15th of January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC....
Jan 15, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 252
President Trump says the US will take "very strong action" against Iran if it continues executing anti-government demonstrators, following more than 2,400 protestors being killed by the Iranian authorities so far, according to the HRANA. The question remains - if we consider prior examples of American military intervention, should the US get involved in Iran? And, the NHS will not be allowed to offer training jobs to foreign doctors unless no British doctors have applied for the role, under legi...
Jan 14, 2026•59 min•Ep. 251
Sir Keir Starmer stated today that X (formerly known as Twitter) could lose the "right to self regulate", if it didn’t prevent users from creating sexual images of children of women with the AI chatbot, Grok. Elon Musk is describing this as censorship and fascism… how is this even a debate? And, the government is reportedly considering an Australia-style social media ban on social media for under-16s in the UK. What does social media specifically do to children that causes them such harm? This e...
Jan 13, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 250
Over 500 protestors have been killed in Iran, according to the US-based rights group HRANA, since public demonstrations against the Islamic Republic government began in late December. Last night, President Trump warned the US is considering "very strong options" to intervene in the country. Should America militarily intervene? And, two-thirds of UK voters believe immigration is increasing despite sharp falls in the number of people entering the UK, according to a recent poll. Why is this, and wh...
Jan 12, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 249
The Government is set to water down forthcoming increases to business rates bills faced by pubs in England. Is this a sign of weakness? Or, that they're listening? Also, following huge controversy around X (formerly known as Twitter) users “digitally undressing" women and girls with the platform’s AI feature, Grok, Elon Musk has restricted the feature to paying users only. Downing Street has described this move as "insulting" to victims of misogyny and sexual violence. Why is Musk allowing this ...
Jan 09, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 248
