James O'Brien Daily

New findings reveal that well-off people can expect to live 20 more “good years” than those with financial stress. Why does this gap exist, what drives it, and what practical steps could help close it? And, LBC’s Political Editor, Natasha Clark, joins James to discuss her interview with the Prime Minister today, during which Sir Keir Starmer told her there is an “overwhelming case” for tighter soc...

Following the Southport Inquiry, the lawyer for the murdered girls’ families says that the local authority officials at fault should be “named and shamed”, unless suitable disciplinary measures are taken. Would this be fair? Also, James is joined by the UK's leading money saving expert, Martin Lewis, who, alongside his charity, is set to fix the currently vicious council tax debt collection system...

The Southport murders could have been prevented by the killer’s parents and the authorities, according to an inquiry. What could have been done differently, and what is it like to fear your own child? And, a former Nato secretary general, Lord George Robertson, has warned that the UK’s security is "in peril". How do we know we’re at risk of military attack, and why isn’t the public more concerned?...

The US blockade of Iran’s ports has begun, while the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, with oil prices surging above $100 a barrel. What's going to happen next? Joining James to break it all down is the inimitable Simon Marks, LBC's Washington Correspondent. This episode was recorded on the 13th of April. Catch James O'Brien weekdays from 10am on LBC.

Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien at the end of a week where the temporary ceasefire in Iran seems increasingly out of reach. With the US and Iran willing to have talks and a possibility of relative stability in the Middle East on the horizon - why is Israel pressing ahead with attacks on southern Lebanon? Is there anything that could persuade Netanyahu to sign up for a ceasefire that includ...

Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien as the US-Iran ceasefire is called into question. Within 24 hours of the ceasefire agreement, Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz again in response to Israeli strikes on Lebanon. Israel and the US say that Lebanon wasn’t covered by the ceasefire - Iran disagrees. So, which side do you believe? And why has this agreement crumbled so quickly? Alex Gandler, sp...

Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien as yet more momentous events unfold in the Middle East. A two-week ceasefire has been agreed: the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, and the guns, bombs and rockets have fallen silent across Iran. So, who is the winner here? Did Donald Trump blink, or will he claim this as a victory? And does this change the US’s political standing on the world stage? As Keir Sta...

Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien on the eve of the day that Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges unless it reopens the Strait of Hormuz. With the president threatening moves that could be considered as war crimes against the Iranian civilian population, and given the president’s profane statements made over the Easter weekend: has Trump lost what’s left of...

Time for your next Easter instalment of Mystery Hour, the game in which James invites his callers to ask and answer questions about absolutely anything. You are guaranteed to learn something new after listening to this (however please note James cannot guarantee the usefulness of any newly acquired knowledge). The James O'Brien Daily podcast is back from the 7th April. Have a very happy easter!

While indulging in your Easter eggs, why not also tuck into another instalment of Mystery Hour! It's the feature in which James' callers ask and answer questions about absolutely anything... the type of questions that Google doesn't even know the answer to (well, Google might know, but it's much more fun this way). Enjoy! The James O'Brien Daily podcast is back from the 7th April. Have a very happ...

Trump has threatened to pull the US out of NATO over lack of support shown for his attack on Iran. Have we reached a point where we need to treat his words with some level of plausibility? And if so, what happens if he pulls the trigger and withdraws the US from the NATO alliance? Kanye West has announced three headline dates at Wireless Festival in London in July. Ed Davey has called on the gover...

In an address to the nation, Keir Starmer has set out his two priorities in response to the war in Iran: deescalation and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. So, is it time for us to make a deal with Iran? And if negotiation isn’t on the table, what are our other options? LBC’s Washington Correspondent Simon Marks joins James in the studio ahead of this evening's presidential primetime address. Should...

As oil prices hit above $112 a barrel, the IMF has warned that the United Kingdom will be left particularly vulnerable to the impact of the war in Iran. We’re left to ask - how does the war end? And with the media and right-wing politicians diverting blame for the price of petrol to Keir Starmer - what would an end to the war look like for the UK? Keir Starmer has given the BMA 48 hours to call of...

After Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine and Donald Trump attacked Iran, it became clear that the UK has a potentially crippling dependency on fossil fuels. When it comes to energy we cannot afford to be beholden the unpredictability of the world, so why is the move toward sustainable energy the subject of political debate? Following reports that 92% of burglaries went unsolved in Britain last year, w...

Today, as thousands of U.S. troops head towards the Gulf and speculation grows over whether Donald Trump could order “boots on the ground” in Iran, James asks what would a major escalation really mean? James is also joined by Simon Marks, LBC’s Washington Correspondent, for the latest from the U.S., as tensions rise and the stakes reach a potentially catastrophic new level. This episode was record...

Meta and Google have been found liable for social media addiction in a landmark trial in Los Angeles. A young woman sued the companies saying that the addictive design features of their platforms Facebook, Instagram and YouTube caused her harm and worsened her depression. When does social media use become a problem and cross the line into addiction? What happens when we shift our focus from danger...

Donald Trump declares the war with Iran “won” - even while deploying thousands more troops to the region and requesting military support from NATO states. What have the past three weeks of the war in the Middle East taught you about the modern world? And despite the chaos, one statistic refuses to budge: 36% of American voters still back Trump. Why? What explains this enduring loyalty in the face...

It's looking like the President of the United States could very well have lied through his teeth about the supposed peace talks with Iran. We’re being asked to decide who to believe out of Donald Trump, or the remaining leaders of a tyrannical theocratic regime - tricky. What in the world will happen next? Also, Conservative MP, Charlie Dewhirst, has said more needs to be done to address the "unde...

James unpack today's breaking claims from Donald Trump that the United States and Iran have held “very good and productive” talks on a “complete and total resolution of hostilities” in the Middle East—prompting a temporary pause in planned military strikes. But with Tehran denying direct negotiations and the region still on edge after weeks of escalating conflict, what's really going on? This epis...

Benjamin Netanyahu says that true regime change will not be achievable through military force alone - despite supposedly undertaking this war with that ambition. With the U.S. and Israel now deep into a war that has destabilised global energy markets and triggered deadly retaliation across the Middle East, James asks the question at the heart of it all: why did Donald Trump go to war in the first...

Sir Keir Starmer has called on Kemi Badenoch to sack shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy after he described a mass Muslim public prayer as an "act of domination and division". Why haven’t the Tories sacked Timothy yet, and how does it feel that many in the political establishment promote bigoted views? And, James is joined by Simon Marks for an update on the US - specifically Donald Trump’s atte...

A meningitis case has been confirmed at a second Kent university, with officials believing the outbreak originated at a Canterbury nightclub. Of the 20 confirmed cases thus far, two people have died. James asks his listeners who’ve suffered with meningitis what it was like and what processes are in place to protect people from it. Also, James is joined by LBC reporter Henry Riley, for the next ins...

James has been waiting for this one… today he asks why it’s so hard for society and the media to call out President Donald Trump as the “deranged liar” that the evidence suggests he is. Then, if we did, would it even matter? And, the Government has set out plans to tackle the spiralling number of young people not in employment, education or training, including a £3000 grant for each company that h...

President Trump urged Britain and other countries to send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping passage that is vital for global oil supplies, that Iran has closed to enemy states. In response, Sir Keir Starmer today confirmed that the UK is working with the US and other allies on a "viable, collective plan" to reopen the passage. Is this the right decision? This episode was recorded...

As the media increasingly turns against the war in Iran, even those publications that, until very recently, were criticising Sir Keir Starmer for not joining in with America and Israel's attacks, James asks if it’s a waste of time trying to figure out why Trump started this war - and what we should do if the President is simply mad. This episode was recorded on the 13th of March. Catch James O'Bri...