James O'Brien Daily

On Budget day, James asks listeners to tell him what a Budget has actually done for them. Positive or negative, what real outcomes has the public had in the past?

Then, the Equality and Human Rights Commission wants workers to have the legal right to ask what their colleagues are paid. But is right for to have full transparency for wages and if so, how would it actually be implemented?

This episode was recorded on the 28th of October. James O’Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

The chancellor is expected to use tomorrow's budget to lift the tax-free allowance so the poorest pensioners don't get taxed on their triple-lock increase. For some, £489 a year is loose change down the back of the sofa. For others, it's the difference between having the heating on and not. What is it actually like to live on a state pension and what do those pensioners wish they had known in the past?

Plus, Jamie Oliver’s wife Jools Oliver has revealed that she has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD, saying that not understanding her neurodivergence “ruined” her life for 45 years. James has spoken many times on this show about the effects of ADHD but what about the later in life diagnosis of autism? What does the diagnosis actually mean and how much does it alleviate people's personal experiences?

This episode was recorded on the 27th of October.

James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said everything has changed since Brexit and that it's time for an honest discussion about a return to free movement, with an EU-UK summit looming on the 20th of November... but could the freedom of movement conversation be made toxic all over again, by the very same people as before?

Plus, Sylvester Stallone says you're not a good parent if you haven't performed a little nepotism. James agrees and tells the story of the connection that got him his first break in journalism. So when exactly does nepotism become a problem?

This episode was recorded on the 26th of October.

James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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Is Britain right to prepare for the worst? As governments across Europe urge households to stockpile essential supplies, a debate over emergency preparedness raises questions about the growing threat of cyberattacks, power cuts and Russian aggression.

Plus, the disturbing sex abuse allegations surrounding Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, raise difficult questions about what happens when allegations of this nature emerge within your own family. Thomas Markle denies the allegations, while Meghan has explained why she cut contact with her father and wanted to protect her children.

This episode was recorded on the 23rd of October. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Barclays has revealed £2.3bn of profit in the three months leading up to September, while at the same time around 5,000 jobs are being cut. AI is squarely in the frame to take over. So James asks his listeners the question nobody wants to answer out loud: are you next?

Plus: The UK government says it is working to identify any potential exposure in its online services, after critical cyber-security flaws were identified in the PHP programming language that underpins a significant number of the world's websites... LBC's tech correspondent Will Guyatt joined to explain it all.

This episode was recorded on the 22nd of October. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

More gas for Britain, but at what cost? The government’s decision to approve new North Sea gas drilling sparks a fierce debate over energy security, the climate crisis and Labour’s promise not to grant new licences. Can domestic drilling deliver cheaper energy and greater independence, or does it risk opening the door to further fossil fuel extraction?

Plus, the Covid inquiry’s damning findings bring the tragedy of Britain’s care homes back into focus. With 43,000 residents dead and thousands of patients discharged from hospitals into care homes to free up beds, the human cost behind the figures is impossible to ignore.

This episode was recorded on the 21st of October. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Andy Burnham has reportedly told officials to rip up their plans for fixing Thames Water because they don't go far enough. James wants to know something simpler: how was this allowed to happen at all? A company Britain used to own is now sitting on £100m of outstanding fines, asking its own creditors for another £2.4bn just to keep the taps on, while stakeholders including companies owned by foreign governments have made a fortune.

The answers come from callers who were there. Jeremy was asked to leave in 1989 after telling senior management that leakage and sewage treatment figures were far worse than the company was reporting. Steve spent 36 years inside Thames and explains how land, property and skilled maintenance staff were sold or stripped away and why Burnham's real nuclear option might be insolvency law.

Then a complete change of direction. Number 10 has openly rejected Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump's claims that NATO allies "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines" during the war in Afghanistan. 457 British personnel died on duty. James hands the show to the callers with most invested in the British military... soldiers who served alongside Americans and men who buried their friends.

This episode was recorded on the 20th of October. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Why are protests in France so different from those in Britain — and could the same anger ever explode on British streets? James examines unrest in France, exploring the country’s revolutionary tradition, its relationship with the state and why French citizens often see protest as both a right and a responsibility.

Then, James looks at the stark postcode lottery facing children in England. From unsafe streets and overcrowded schools to access to education and mental-health support, callers reveal how the place a child grows up can shape their entire future.

This episode was recorded on the 19th of October. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

An undercover ITV investigation exposes racist and misogynistic views among Reform UK candidates and activists, raising serious questions about Nigel Farage’s leadership, the party’s vetting process and its repeated claims to be keeping extremists out of politics.

Plus, we teach children to read and write, but do we teach them how to actually express themselves? James questions why oracy is so often overlooked, as callers share how struggling to express themselves can leave them feeling shut down in society.

This episode was recorded on the 16th of October. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.