James O'Brien Daily

Sir Keir Starmer will be drastically tightening immigration policy. He says the reforms will see net migration drop even further, but do the numbers actually matter to the people this new policy is supposed to please?And, UN-backed assessment has said that Gaza's population of around 2.1 million Palestinians is at "critical risk" of famine, as an Israeli blockade on food and humanitarian aid continues. Why are we closing our eyes to Gaza’s horror?This episode was recorded on the 12th May. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Sir Keir Starmer says the new UK-US trade deal will save thousands of jobs in the car and steel industries. James breaks down the detail with Dmitry Grozoubinski, Founder of Explain Trade, and asks if Starmer could have done any better.Also, two men have been found guilty of felling the world famous Sycamore Gap Tree, a crime that enraged the nation. As a country, why were we so emotionally invested, and should the men be sent to prison for chopping down a tree?And, Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as Pope Leo XIV. The 69-year-old is a Chicago native and the first American to hold the papacy. How much influence and importance does the Pope have in the 21st Century?This episode was recorded on the 9th May. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Even in the wake of the UK-India trade deal, an actual benefit of Brexit, many Brexiteers are forgoing celebrations and instead painting Indian workers as the winners, and UK workers as the losers. In this anti-immigrant political climate, how can Labour prove to the electorate that it is benefiting them?Also, migrants coming to live and work in the UK will be required to speak A-Level standard English under a new proposal from the Government. Who is this policy designed to appease, and will it work?And, James also speaks with historian, broadcaster and host of the History Hit Podcast, Dan Snow, who shares some very important lessons from the past as we honour VE Day.This episode was recorded on the 8th May. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

India launched air strikes on Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir last night, leaving many civilians dead, in the worst fighting between the two nations for decades. This has coincided with the near completion of a UK-India trade deal. What are the stakes here and what happens if the conflict escalates?Also, a new report into last summer’s far-right anti-immigrant riots has found that the police force is ill-equipped to tackle the impact of online misinformation - which fuelled the disorder. Why do people spread misinformation? Is the battle with the tech platforms that have the power to restrict such content already lost?And, James speaks with journalist Harry Shukman, author of “Year of the Rat: Undercover in the British Far Right”, to hear exactly what he learned while working undercover with various far-right groups.This episode was recorded on the 7th May. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The Government is rethinking its controversial winter fuel payment cut as anxiety grows at potential electoral repercussions. How big a deal is the winter fuel allowance, and how would you fix it?The Israeli security cabinet has approved a plan to 'capture' Gaza, in which troops will indefinitely occupy the region and forcibly relocate the 2.1 million Palestinians living there to the southern enclave. Was this the plan all along?This episode was recorded on the 6th May. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

This is a catch-up version of James O'Brien's Mystery Hour from the 1st May. The James O'Brien Daily Podcast will return after the bank holiday, on Tuesday 6th May. Have a wonderful weekend!

Nigel Farage’s Reform has this afternoon taken control of seven councils, just hours after dramatically beating Labour in a by-election for Runcorn and Helsby.Is Keir Starmer Labour’s main problem? How can Nigel Farage, a politician with such a bad track record, enjoy such public support?And, James speaks with the Co-Founders of Project Pure Hope, an organisation that helped bring two girls from Gaza over to the UK for urgent medical treatment. These children are the first to be granted temporary UK visas and healthcare since the beginning of the war.This episode was recorded on the 2nd May. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The Met Police officer who was cleared of murder after shooting and killing Chris Kaba is now going to be investigated for gross misconduct by the independent police watchdog. James asks if this investigation is necessary. And, James speaks with Phillips O’Brien, Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews, about the resource deal that’s been finalised between Ukraine and the US. What does it mean for both parties?This episode was recorded on the 1st May. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

James and LBC’s Washington Editor Simon Marks fact-check Donald Trump’s speech in Michigan celebrating the first 100 days of his second presidency. The Met Police officer who was cleared of murder after shooting Chris Kaba will face a gross misconduct hearing, the police watchdog has said. James speaks with LBC’s reporter Fraser Knight for the details.It’s been reported that men are to blame for the so-called “motherhood penalty”, and that men still don't do enough housework in comparison to women. Why has so little changed, and is this the case in your household?And, LBC Correspondent Emma Corr joins James to break an exclusive story on the farmer who was forced to bin 300 tonnes of strawberries due to Brexit border delays.This episode was recorded on the 30th April. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The UK and the EU have outlined a “new strategic partnership” intended to improve trade and security in Europe - totally at odds with Donald Trump’s alignment with Russia. Should Keir Starmer lean to Europe, or America?James is joined by LBC’s Washington Editor Simon Marks, to analyse the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term.And, after years of posting cycling videos, broadcaster Jeremy Vine will stop sharing his content, as he’s been the victim to huge amounts of anti-cyclist trolling, including death threats. What is it about the UK that makes us a bunch of anti-cyclist road ragers?This episode was recorded on the 29th April. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.