James O'Brien Daily

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.

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 recorded on the 26th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

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 about the flag?This episode was recorded on the 25th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

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 to go to the doctor and is masculinity costing lives?Carole Cadwalladr also joins James to discuss the mounting pressure for a full government inquiry into Russian interference in UK politics.This episode was recorded on the 24th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

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 Nathan Gill has been sentenced to 10-and-a-half years for taking at least £40,000 in pro-Russia bribes - James takes the sentencing live.This episode was recorded on the 21st of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

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 comes shortly after suggestions that Health Secretary Wes Streeting would be challenging Starmer. Why the Prime Minister so unpopular?This episode was recorded on the 20th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

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 break this addiction?And, ‘Things happen’… is something that Donald Trump actually said when the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was brought up in front of himself and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House. LBC’s US correspondent Simon Marks joins James for all that and more..This episode was recorded on the 19th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

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 case?This episode was recorded on the 18th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

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 immigration rhetoric that has taken over the UK? This episode was recorded on the 17th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

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-pit of violence?This episode was recorded on the 14th of November. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.