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?...

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 on...

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 do...

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...

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 signif...

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 a...

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, accordin...

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...

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...

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 lik...

Thousands of documents from disgraced financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have been released, many of which reference Donald Trump, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson. Why did Donald Trump campaign on a promise to release the Epstein files, considering he is now so desperate to keep them secret?  And, UK unemployment has risen to 5%, the highest level in four years....

Downing Street was "on alert" last night amid suggestions that Health Secretary Wes Streeting was leading a plot to oust the Prime Minister. Today, Streeting labeled these reports as "ridiculous". However, there is serious dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer, both within and outside of the government. Why is this? Do you want Starmer to go?  And, James is joined by LBC’s Washington Corresponden...

Rachel Reeves has hinted that she is planning to remove the two-child benefit cap in the November budget, in a move that could cost more than £3bn but lift 350,000 children out of poverty. Why is the cap removal so unpopular with the public?  Also, Black and Asian NHS staff who do home visits fear some areas have become “no-go zones” for them - areas strewn with St George’s flags. Was this th...

BBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness resigned last night after criticism that Panorama misled viewers by editing a speech by Donald Trump. Trump has since threatened legal action against the BBC… James breaks it all down. And, it’s highly probable that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be raising income tax in the upcoming Budget. Considering she promised not to do this in La...

An internal Metropolitan police review has found the “racial harm” the force inflicts on black people is “institutionally defended”. Also, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned of a “rising tide” of “1970s and 1980s style racism” in the NHS and Britain more widely. What is the difference between racism and institutional racism? And, the parents of the three girls murdered by Axel Rudakubana ha...

Two prisoners were mistakenly released from Wandsworth Prison in the last week. William Smith handed himself back in to HMP Wandsworth today, while a manhunt is still underway for Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, an Algerian national who is a sex offender. How can this be happening? Also, 15 local areas have closed ADHD support waiting lists and another 31 that have introduced tighter criteria, making it mo...

Following the first review of the national curriculum in over a decade, children will be taught about budgeting, mortgages and how to spot fake news and AI generated content. Sounds dangerously useful. What do you wish you’d been taught in school, and how do you teach disinformation discernment? And, Zohran Mamdani is the new Mayor of New York City - the first South Asian and muslim person to be s...

Rachel Reeves has “no regrets” over potential breaches of Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise certain taxes in the upcoming Budget… why has she only addressed this and the fallout from 14 years of Conservative austerity, Brexit and Covid-19 now? Also, experts have stated that women must be given clearer warnings on the potentially fatal dangers of giving birth at home. Is it selfish to demand a...

A “32 year old black British national” has been charged with 11 counts of attempted murder following a knife attack on a train in Cambridgeshire on Saturday evening and a separate incident in London hours before.  Following new guidance, police are now being forced to disclose the ethnicity of suspects in response to a rise in far-right speculation on social media. Why do people want to know...

Buckingham Palace has announced that Prince Andrew is to lose his prince title and will be leaving his Royal Lodge home in Windsor. What are the Royal Family for, what impact will Andrew have on the monarchy and why are we expected to bow for them? James is also joined by Emily Matlis, presenter of The News Agents podcast, whose 2019 interview with Andrew was a catalyst for his downfall. This epis...

Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed calls for an investigation into Chancellor Rachel Reeves after she apologised for breaking housing rules when renting out her family home… Is it just party politics driving this story or should she have known better?  Also, Hurricane Melissa has continued its devastating sweep across the Caribbean, leaving dozens dead. The storm was fuelled by warming oceans, wh...

Labour's Employment Rights Bill, which would protect workers against zero-hour contracts and unfair dismissals has been sent back to Commons after large defeats in the House of Lords. James digs into the details and asks why employers would vote against this. And, the Government is defending its plan to use military barracks to house asylum seekers, despite these looking set to cost more than the...

The Treasury is considering a “mansion-tax” for owners of higher-value properties to help pull the country out of its multi-billion pound hole. Is this fair? And, hundreds of asylum seekers could be housed in two military barracks as the government seeks to end the use of “asylum-hotels”. Is this good or bad politics from Sir Keir Starmer? This episode was recorded on the 28th of October. Catch Ja...

“It drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people”. Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s racist comments have even drawn widespread criticism - but many from her party refuse to label the comments as racist. How can we best discuss the increase of racism in our public discourse? And, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a former asylum seeker and convicted sex offender who was released fr...

With a potential tax rise on the horizon, James asked whether Rachel Reeves could handle the political and economic fallout. The UK currently relies on roughly 500,000 taxpayers for a third of all income and capital gains tax revenue, raising big questions about fairness, fiscal policy, and whether Labour risks breaking another key pledge if income tax increases. And, James turned to a stark new f...