James O'Brien Daily

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.

Over half of the British public mistakenly believes that more migrants are in the UK illegally than legally, despite 96% being here lawfully. This huge misconception is shaped by misinformation and media narratives. The discussion also delves into the complex dynamics of recognizing a Palestinian state amidst the ongoing conflict, with implications for global politics. The dialogue highlights how social media can skew public perceptions and emphasizes the need for clearer communication regarding both immigration and international relations.

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.