James O'Brien Daily

Global

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.

James O'Brien Daily is a Global Production

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404 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes404

Newest first

July 3 · 47 min
Can Andy Burnham really change British politics?
For his final turn in James' chair for now, Lewis Goodall asks whether Andy Burnham’s promised “circuit breaker” in British politics could really change anything at all. After Burnham sets out his ambition to do politics differently - less point scoring, more problem solving, more power outside Westminster - Lewis and callers explore what people most dislike about the way British politics works now: the adversarial culture, the whipping system, the media-politics machine, and the grip of Whitehall. But even if everyone agrees the system is broken, can it actually be fixed from within? This episode was recorded on the 3rd of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 2 · 43 min
Why aren't Brits having kids?
Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien and takes on a quiet but profound crisis: Britain’s birth rate has fallen so far that deaths are now outnumbering births for the first time. What does that mean for the future of the country, the economy, and the welfare state? And why are so many people choosing not to have children - or finding that they simply can’t afford to? From childcare costs and housing to careers, relationships and changing expectations, callers share the personal realities behind a huge national shift. This episode was recorded on the 2nd of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 1 · 49 min
Nigel Farage’s money problem
Lewis Goodall sits in for James and asks a blunt question about Nigel Farage: if you want to be Prime Minister, how much outside money is too much? With fresh questions over Farage’s earnings from a gold bullion company, on top of the already controversial £5 million gift from a crypto billionaire, Lewis explores whether Reform’s leader is starting to look less like an anti-establishment insurgent and more like a politician with too many financial interests to explain away. As callers weigh in, the debate turns to trust, standards in public life, and whether British politics is becoming numb to conflicts of interest that would once have ended careers. This episode was recorded on the 1st of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 30 · 51 min
Is Britain now ready for war?
Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien and takes on one of the biggest questions facing the country: are we spending enough on defence in a far more dangerous world? As Keir Starmer unveils his final defence investment plan in what feels like one of the last big acts of his premiership, Lewis asks whether Britain is genuinely prepared for the threats ahead - from Russia and the High North to cyber warfare and a less reliable America. With ministers promising more money for drones and deterrence, but critics warning it still falls short, the debate turns to what the UK can actually do, what it can’t, and whether politicians are being honest enough about the risks. This episode was recorded on the 30th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 29 · 53 min
Can Andy Burnham really "rewire" Britain?
Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien and reacts to Andy Burnham’s first major speech as Prime Minister-in-waiting. Broadcast from Manchester, Burnham sets out an ambitious vision for a “rewired Britain” - with a new Number 10 North, a huge shift of power away from Whitehall, major council house building, industrial strategy, and a promise to spread “good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart”. Lewis and callers ask the big question: is this the bold reset Britain has been waiting for, or a hopeful speech without the money to match? This episode was recorded on the 29th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 26 · 45 min
Is climate change denial over?
With scientists linking the extreme temperatures directly to fossil fuel emissions, James explores why so many people still look away, why net zero is under political attack, and whether the heat itself might finally succeed where years of warnings have failed. This episode was recorded on the 26th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 25 · 1 hr 1 min
Record UK temperatures - how to survive the heat
As Britain braces for another record-breaking June scorcher, James O’Brien asks the question beyond the weather forecast: what are we actually going to do about extreme heat becoming the new normal? Then, with Andy Burnham reportedly looking to move part of Number 10’s operation to Manchester, James turns to a thorny political and cultural question: does it matter if the next Prime Minister has a northern accent - and if so, why? This episode was recorded on the 25th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 24 · 1 hr 3 min
The UK is cooking... why don't we care about climate change?
The UK is experiencing another red weather warning heatwave this week. So why, even as temperatures soar and climate warnings become impossible to ignore, don't we feel the urgency? And, on the 10th anniversary of Brexit, James O’Brien asks the question that still matters most: who was most responsible for it? From David Cameron and Boris Johnson to the media, Jeremy Corbyn and beyond, James and his callers revisit the decisions, lies and absurd moments that pushed Britain towards a national act of self-harm. This episode was recorded on the 24th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 23 · 48 min
Should Andy Burnham be crowned, or contested?
James reacts to the resignation of Keir Starmer and asks the question now hanging over British politics: should Labour move fast to "crown" Andy Burnham as Prime Minister, or does the party need a proper contest? This episode was recorded on the 23rd of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 22 · 1 hr 5 min
Keir Starmer is out
Keir Starmer is out. James reflects on where it all went wrong, why his premiership became so brittle, and whether Britain may come to regret forcing him out. With Andy Burnham moving quickly to the front of the pack, the conversation turns to what comes next for Labour - and whether a new leader can succeed where Starmer could not. Later, in honour of Windrush Day, James speaks to Justice4Windrush campaigners including the daughter of Herbert Hewey, a man whose life was destroyed by Home Office during the Windrush scandal, in a powerful reminder that justice is still far from done. This episode was recorded on the 22nd of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 19 · 1 hr 2 min
Has Andy Burnham just put the nail in Starmer's coffin?
James reacts to the political shockwaves from Makerfield, where Andy Burnham’s victory piles huge pressure on Keir Starmer and raises the question that now feels unavoidable: should he fight on, or step aside? This episode was recorded on the 19th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 18 · 59 min
It’s the World Cup… cue the racist abuse
Following the England men’s squad triumphant defeat of Croatia in their first game of the World Cup, James discusses that fact that, win or lose, it's inevitable that our black players will have to deal with racism both on, and off thew pitch. So damaging is the online racism that our players receive, England manager Thomas Tuchel has said it’d be better for players to stay off social media entirely… while FIFA has revealed strengthened protections against abuse. Whether they deliver their bigotry via social media or in real life - what do these racists get out of it? This episode was recorded on the 18th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 17 · 1 hr 3 min
Should Keir Starmer go?
James asks if Starmer is really failing, or whether a culture of online conspiracy, media distortion and political chaos is shaping how the country sees him. Do you want to see a leadership challenge? Then, James turns to the future king’s education, and what Eton represents in modern Britain: privilege, power, tradition, and the enduring grip of class. This episode was recorded on the 17th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 16 · 1 hr 2 min
Starmer's arsonist "rent boys": The conspiracy
James examines the widespread conspiracy theory - spread by Russia - that the firebombing of a house owned by Sir Keir Starmer was carried out by disgruntled "rent-boys" that he had failed to pay. Why are so many of us willing to believe obvious nonsense? Then, James turns to the heartbreaking case of baby Preston Davey, exploring whether repeated warning signs were missed by professionals - or whether this is the awful reality of overstretched services trying to spot evil in plain sight. This episode was recorded on the 16th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 15 · 59 min
Starmer's social media ban
James welcomes Keir Starmer’s plan to ban under-16s from social media, calling it one of the boldest and most important decisions of his premiership. As James reflects on the damage these platforms can do - from addiction and anxiety to self-harm content and relentless bullying - callers share their own experiences of trying to protect children from an online world designed to keep them hooked. This episode was recorded on the 15th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 12 · 59 min
If Russia might bring war to the UK, why aren't we more scared?
If Britain really faces a growing military threat, why has no one made the case clearly enough to the public? After the resignations of two defence ministers heap fresh pressure on Keir Starmer, James opens up a bigger, more serious conversation about national security, cyber warfare, Russia, NATO and whether the UK is truly prepared for what may be coming. If the danger is real, what exactly should more defence spending pay for? This episode was recorded on the 12th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 11 · 48 min
Why are we not more excited about the World Cup?
James opens the phones on the biggest event in world sport and asks two deceptively simple questions: why aren’t more of us excited, and why aren’t more fans going? From eye-watering prices and tournament overload to FIFA, Donald Trump and the politics surrounding this year’s competition, callers explain why even lifelong football lovers are struggling to feel the usual magic. This episode was recorded on the 11th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 10 · 53 min
Why does Elon Musk want racist violence on Britain’s streets?
James confronts the horror of anti-immigrant violence on UK streets after homes are attacked in Belfast, asking how crimes committed by individuals are being twisted into collective punishment against entire communities. He also turns to the role of Elon Musk, social media and far-right agitators in stoking hatred — and asks why this is being allowed to happen in plain sight. This episode was recorded on the 10th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 9 · 49 min
Is University still worth it?
James asks a deeply uncomfortable question: is university still worth it? For generations, higher education was sold as the great route to opportunity, independence and a better life - but with soaring fees, huge debt and shrinking returns, James wonders whether that promise still holds true, or whether it now belongs to a different era. This episode was recorded on the 9th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 8 · 57 min
Will tech giants ever protect kids from social media?
James asks why politicians, including Keir Starmer, still seem so timid in tackling the harm social media can do to children. With callers from the tech world weighing in, he explores whether the safeguards already exist and why the biggest platforms so often fail to act. Later, he analyses an extraordinary interview between NBC's Kristen Welker and Donald Trump, which the president ended abruptly after branding Welker, NBC and the 2020 election as "crooked". This episode was recorded on the 8th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.