James O'Brien Daily

Lewis Goodall of The News Agents podcast is covering for James O’Brien all this week live on LBC from 10am, and of course, right here on James O’Brien Daily.Over the weekend, Trump announced 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, and hit China with a 10% levy. He’s also renewed calls for Canada to become America’s 51st state. Lewis speaks with Canada’s High Commissioner Ralph Goodale and UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and asks his listeners whether we’re witnessing the collapse of the US as the leader of the free world.Lewis also speaks with Former International Development and Foreign Office Minister, Alistair Burt, to speak about the consequences of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s plans to shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).This episode was recorded on the 3rd February. Catch Lewis Goodall, in for James O'Brien, each day this week from 10am until Friday on LBC.

The podcast dives into the disillusionment of Brexit, revealing that only a small fraction of supporters feel it has succeeded. It scrutinizes the role of misinformation and the emotional turmoil surrounding the referendum's aftermath. Clips from past politicians illustrate the optimism versus reality of the Leave campaign. The conversation also tackles contradictions in trade and immigration, along with personal regrets voiced by voters. Humor and dark reflections on cultural identity enrich the debate on accountability and the future of UK-EU relations.

The UK population is set to rise by nearly 5 million over the course of a decade, largely because of net migration, but how do you convince people that, despite what many politicians and newspapers say, the UK does in fact need significant levels of immigration?Also, according to a survey of teachers in England and Wales, some children are starting reception “unable to climb a staircase” and still in nappies. Are parents failing to support their children’s early development, or is this a result of the “iPad generation”?And, Mystery Hour is back!This episode was recorded on the 30th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered a major speech this morning, in which she promised to create the “right conditions” to support growth in the British economy and outlined just how Labour intends to do that. James, his listeners and LBC’s Political Editor Natasha Clark analyse the speech.Also, it’s Prime Minister’s Questions and James speaks with LBC’s Political Correspondent Aggie Chambre to digest all the details.And, a UK law firm that was used by the sanctioned Russian mercenary chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to sue the British journalist Elliot Higgins, has been found to have acted lawfully. Peter Geoghegan, author of Democracy for Sale, explains the controversy.This episode was recorded on the 29th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

England’s children’s commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has said that children involved in last year’s race riots following the Southport attacks should have their criminal records wiped clean. James asks whether this should be the case and why.And, former Premier League referee David Coote has come out as gay and revealed that a life spent hiding his sexuality led to “really poor choices”, including using cocaine, that led to his sacking last year. To what extent is explicit homophobia still a major feature of football and wider society?This episode was recorded on the 28th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, James asks how the dehumanisation of an entire group of people can happen. He interviews Laurence Rees, historian and BAFTA winning documentary maker, who’s latest book is “The Nazi Mind: Twelve Warnings From History”. James also reminisces on a conversation with his late friend and Holocaust survivor, Lili Pohlmann.This episode was recorded on the 27th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The Southport killer, Axel Rudakubana, has been sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in jail. In the aftermath of this horrific crime, in which he stabbed 3 girls to death at a Taylor Swift themed dance class, James ask what “evil” is, and whether people can be born evil. James speaks to Rudakubana’s father’s former English teacher.Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told LBC today that “there are too many young men, online, obsessing over violent material”. What are the signs that your teenager is consuming dangerous material online?And James discusses the recent story of a pregnant hairdresser who was demoted to cleaning and making tea after she announced she was expecting. She has since won almost £90,000 in compensation. Did your employer have a negative reaction to your pregnancy?This episode was recorded on the 24th January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Following Prince Harry and Lord Watson’s emphatic victory in their lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers, which publishes The Sun, James asks two questions. Firstly, following NGN’s admission of criminal wrongdoing, should the police should pursue the case further? Secondly, have enough of the UK media already cultivated sufficient anti-Sussex sentiment to prevent this from happening?The government has pledged to build major infrastructure projects like nuclear power stations, railway lines and wind farms built faster under new planning rules, while Keir Starmer vows to curb “Nimby” legal blocks to such projects. What’s the reality of getting major building projects off the ground, or, being the “Nimbys” in question?And, Mystery Hour returns, where the public phone in to ask and answer questions about absolutely whatever they want!This episode was recorded on the 23rd January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Unprecedented news broke today: Prince Harry and Lord Watson have settled a long-running legal battle with publishers of The Sun, News Group Newspapers. James analyses Rupert Murdoch’s News Group’s "full and unequivocal apology" and payment, and finds out what the settlement means with a consultant to Prince Harry’s legal team, Dr Evan Harris.And how was Southport killer Axel Rudakubana able to buy a knife aged just 17 on Amazon and watch violent terrorist content on X in the hour before killing three young girls? Can the government rein in these tech platforms and their billionaire owners to stop these atrocities happening again?This episode was recorded on the 22nd January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

The father of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana stopped his son from returning to his former school a week before he stabbed three young girls to death in July last year at a Taylor Swift dance class. James wonders how scared Rudakubana's father was at what his son was capable of and asks what parents with potentially violent children can do to prevent the worst.And Elon Musk made what many suggested to be Nazi salutes at Donald Trump’s inauguration yesterday. James contemplates just how wide our window of acceptable opinion has reached.This episode was recorded on the 21st January. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.