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James O'Brien Daily

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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.

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#442
October 13 · 58 min
Britain is setting prisoners up to fail
Released from prison with a small discharge payment, no settled home and a long list of conditions: what could possibly go wrong? James explores why so many people return to prison so quickly, often not for a new crime but for breaching the terms of their release. Plus, Andy Burnham begins reopening the Brexit conversation. Is Britain finally ready to admit that making trade with its closest neighbours harder was a catastrophic mistake? This episode was recorded on the 13th of October. 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.
#441
October 12 · 56 min
Putin wanted Brexit - now we know why
Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum. So why did Vladimir Putin want Britain out of the European Union - and why are so many people still reluctant to confront the answer? James examines how division, disinformation and distrust can weaken a country far more cheaply than military force. Plus, what does Donald Trump’s apparent unwillingness to oppose Vladimir Putin mean for Ukraine, Europe and the world? James hears from callers wrestling with the unsettling possibility that the President of the United States is acting consistently in Russia’s interests. This episode was recorded on the 12th of October. 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.
#440
October 9 · 57 min
Trump is turning execution into entertainment
Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to broadcast a firing-squad execution. James asks what happens when state killing becomes a public spectacle - and why the presence of a camera makes it feel still more horrifying. Plus, James examines a major new review of young people’s mental health. Its message is clear: they are not weak, overdiagnosed or “snowflakes”. They are facing pressures previous generations did not and they need support, compassion and understanding. This episode was recorded on the 9th of October. 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.
#439
October 8 · 58 min
Britain's political shocks have left lasting mental scars
Brexit, Covid lockdowns and Liz Truss's mini-budget have all taken a lasting toll on Britain's mental health, according to new research. James explores how major political decisions and global events can shake our sense of security, hearing from callers about anxiety, personal trauma and the moments that changed how they see the world. Plus, who exactly is Kemi Badenoch trying to win over? Following her Conservative Party Conference speech, James hears from voters torn between their distrust of the Tories and their fear of Nigel Farage's Reform UK. This episode was recorded on the 8th of October. 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.
#438
October 7 · 54 min
Inheritance tax is the price of being lucky
Inheritance tax affects a small proportion of estates, so why does it provoke such a powerful reaction in almost everyone else? James asks whether it is morally wrong to tax wealth passed down through families, or whether those receiving large inheritances should see themselves as fortunate. Plus, James unpicks Kemi Badenoch’s latest speech and speaks to LBC's Washington Editor Simon Marks about mounting concerns over the integrity of the forthcoming US midterm elections. This episode was recorded on the 7th of October. 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.
#437
October 6 · 58 min
Cancer is hitting people far younger than we think
Cancer is increasingly affecting people under 50 - but what does it feel like to receive a diagnosis at an age when you never imagined it could happen to you? From missed symptoms and life-saving persistence with GPs to treatment, anxiety and the long road afterwards, this is an honest conversation about the reality of cancer at a younger age. Plus, business owners respond to Jeremy Clarkson’s claim that Britain is no longer a place to build a company. This episode was recorded on the 6th of October. 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.
#436
October 5 · 59 min
The Green Party vote that has alarmed Jewish members
The Green Party has voted to define Zionism as a form of racism, prompting concern from Jewish members who fear it could stigmatise people simply for attending synagogues or identifying with Israel’s right to exist. James explores the crucial distinction between condemning the Israeli Government’s actions in Gaza and defining Zionism itself as racist. Then, after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says employers are too quick to recruit from overseas, James hears from employers facing challenges finding the skilled workers they need. This episode was recorded on the 5th of October. 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.
#435
October 2 · 1 hr
The scandal hiding inside Britain’s prisons
Half of prisoners in England and Wales are functionally illiterate. James asks what prison is actually for when education, rehabilitation and support on release are so limited - and why a system meant to reduce crime can leave people more likely to return. Then, James examines Suella Braverman’s comments on Englishness, hearing from callers who ask how a former Home Secretary can tell people born and raised in Britain that they do not belong. This episode was recorded on the 2nd of October. 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.
#434
October 1 · 57 min
Brexit failed... now Britain wants back in the EU
Brexit has “done more harm than good”, says Andy Burnham, as he opens the door to a new national conversation about Britain’s future relationship with Europe. James asks if the country is ready to confront the consequences of leaving and whether the familiar lies could win again. Then, James explores Burnham’s proposed commission on electoral reform. Would proportional representation make votes count more fairly, encourage collaboration and stop governments winning unchecked power on a minority of the vote? This episode was recorded on the 1st of October. 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.
#433
September 30 · 55 min
The Burnham speech that put hope back into politics
Andy Burnham’s conference speech sets out a vision for a healthier, wealthier and kinder Britain - from social care, housing and water to electoral reform and a closer relationship with Europe. James reflects on a speech that put hope back at the centre of politics, and asks whether Burnham can deliver the scale of change he has promised. Plus, LBC Political Editor Natasha Clarke reports live from the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Health Secretary Yvette Cooper’s new national maternity plan. This episode was recorded on the 30th of September. 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.
#432
September 29 · 1 hr 1 min
End the triple lock & save social care
Could ending the state pension triple lock help fund a social care system that is free at the point of use? James examines Andy Burnham’s reported plans, asking whether pensioners could accept smaller annual increases in return for protection from devastating care costs. Then, after Martin Lewis asked fellow passengers to turn down a loud serial-killer documentary, James explores the growing problem of people playing phones at full volume in public. This episode was recorded on the 29th of September. 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.
#431
September 28 · 1 hr 2 min
Britain’s long road back to the EU
Sadiq Khan wants Britain to start work on rejoining the EU, while Andy Burnham refuses to rule it out. James asks whether it is politically wise to reopen the Brexit argument — and whether the EU would trust Britain to stay. Plus, would you support Burnham’s proposed tax-funded social care system? Callers explain the devastating financial reality of care, from families selling homes to fund dementia support to exhausted carers left without meaningful help. This episode was recorded on the 28th of September. 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.
#430
September 25 · 1 hr
The 14-year-olds Britain is already writing off
Not every young person thrives in a traditional classroom, but is vocational education a route to opportunity or an early label that limits ambition? Plus, more than 52,000 people are claiming benefits for back pain with no specific cause - but why are so many of them treated with suspicion rather than compassion? This episode was recorded on the 25th of September. 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.
#429
September 24 · 1 hr 1 min
A child led chants of “let them drown”
A child leading chants of “let them drown” at a protest over Channel crossings leaves James asking what is happening to Britain. Why is hatred being taught instead of challenged? James hears from callers who describe the fear felt by people of colour as anti-migrant rhetoric becomes more open, more extreme and increasingly detached from the facts. This episode was recorded on the 24th of September. 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.
#428
September 23 · 1 hr
Young people aren’t snowflakes
Why is it harder to be young today? James asks why so many young people are experiencing mental distress - from insecure work and unaffordable housing to social media, climate anxiety and a future that feels impossible to plan for. Then, James examines one of Westminster’s enduring mysteries: why aren’t the Liberal Democrats making more of an impact when British politics feels so fractured? This episode was recorded on the 23rd of September. 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.
#427
September 22 · 55 min
The impossible task of meeting Donald Trump
Donald Trump has shredded the diplomatic rulebook - so what is a British Prime Minister supposed to do when meeting him? James examines the impossible task of dealing with a US President who demands loyalty, thrives on flattery and can reverse his position overnight. Then, as migration figures fall sharply, James asks why the politicians and newspapers who demanded lower numbers are refusing to celebrate. This episode was recorded on the 22nd of September. 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.
#426
September 21 · 55 min
Dementia doesn’t just break patients - it breaks carers too
What does it mean to lose someone while they are still physically there? James hears powerful accounts from families affected by dementia, as the disease is now being described by leading experts as Britain’s greatest health and social care crisis. Plus, women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson has said that “all of us as women in society are unsafe”, prompting a conversation about women’s safety and why it must no longer be treated as normal. This episode was recorded on the 21st of September. 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.
#425
September 18 · 1 hr 3 min
They terrorised lifeboat volunteers for saving lives
A lifeboat station in Portsmouth has halted operations after RNLI volunteers faced abuse for rescuing people in distress at sea. What does it say about Britain when those who risk their lives to save strangers are branded “traitors” and targeted by masked protesters? Then, Charles Spencer has made new claims about King Charles’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death. James asks whether the Earl is honouring his sister’s memory or publicly washing the family’s dirty linen. This episode was recorded on the 18th of September. 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.
#424
September 17 · 59 min
The people building AI are telling us to be afraid
The people at the heart of artificial intelligence are warning that its development could pose a threat to humanity. James asks what we should really fear - from cyberattacks to the prospect of systems we may no longer be able to control. Plus, what is the difference between good strict and bad strict? As a headteacher sparks backlash after suspending 25 pupils in the first week of school, James hears powerful stories of harsh discipline, corporal punishment and humiliation. This episode was recorded on the 17th of September. 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.
#423
September 16 · 1 hr 1 min
A vote to leave the UK over migrant plan
A village votes to leave the UK over plans to house asylum seekers nearby. What is really behind the anger in Piddington and what does the reaction reveal about the debate over asylum, safety and integration? Plus, thousands of people are being pushed out of paid work to care for sick family members. With around 1,500 Britons reportedly leaving their jobs every day, James looks at the human cost of Britain’s care crisis and asks why families are being left to pick up the pieces. This episode was recorded on the 16th of September. 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.

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