James O'Brien Daily

When does legitimate scrutiny become something crueler? James reflects on the death of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday, the media frenzy surrounding the allegations against him, and whether the gleefulness of some commentary demands a reckoning.

Plus, as Andy Burnham is minded to approve a North Sea gas field, can Labour support fossil-fuel jobs in the short term without abandoning its climate commitments?

This episode was recorded on the 17th of August. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you...

In today’s episode, James unpicks the extraordinary events in Clacton, where Nigel Farage’s by-election gamble ended with an absent winner, a cancelled press conference and a growing sense of humiliation.

Plus, why do so many men think they could become Olympians? After a survey found that four in ten men believe they could qualify for the Olympics within two years, James explores confidence, delusion and the punishing reality of elite sport.

This episode was recorded on the 14th of August. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Play...

No guaranteed hours, no guaranteed income and no way to plan ahead: James examines the lives shaped by zero-hours contracts and the government’s proposed ban.

Then, after new figures suggest Andy Burnham’s devolution push could drive 90,000 bankers and lawyers out of London, James asks why people relocate. What do you gain, lose or trade when you leave the capital?

This episode was recorded on the 13th of August. 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...

Why are we so reluctant to confront our fear about climate change? As extreme heat grips Britain, James asks what the government can do to prepare for a future of water shortages, failing crops and more frequent floods.

Then, after the Prime Minister says wealthier areas should house more asylum seekers, James hears from communities already doing just that and asks whether the debate has been distorted by fear and misinformation.

This episode was recorded on the 12th of August. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or...

Can Andy Burnham reverse the decline of Britain’s high streets? James explores why so many town centres are filled with empty units, vape shops and betting shops.

Then, as the government looks for a way to prevent the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers, James asks whether public outrage should ever override the justice system. If the Prime Minister intervenes in one emotive case, where does it end?

This episode was recorded on the 11th of August. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wher...

After anti-migrant violence and disorder in Thetford, James asks what could possibly justify a baying crowd outside someone’s front door. Is online misinformation spilling dangerously into real life?

Plus, what happens when the formative years of school, friendship and independence are replaced by isolation and screens? James explores the legacy of COVID for a generation now entering adulthood.

This episode was recorded on the 10th of August. 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 mi...

In today’s episode, James shares his personal sense of disappointment over the claims surrounding former Cambridge professor Jason Arday, before asking why the case has captured such intense attention — and who else may pay the price.

But first, Alan Milburn, who is leading a review into Britain’s youth worklessness crisis, says primary schools in England should be required to identify children at risk of leaving education at 16 without a job. Can the system really predict a child’s future when they’re five years old?

This episode was recorded on the 7th of August. Ja...

Why is it still so hard to ask for help? James explores Andy Burnham’s pledge that “help is on the way”, with more than 150 new NHS mental health centres set to open. In today’s episode, incredible callers share their personal stories of struggle and recovery.

Plus, after a former neo-Nazi withdrew as a Tory candidate for Somerset Council, Kemi Badenoch gave him an advisory role. Should forgiveness ever open the door to public office?

This episode was recorded on the 6th of August. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on G...

New guidance on single-sex spaces has reignited the debate around trans rights, women’s safety and how the law could ever be enforced in practice. In today's episode James asks who gets to decide who belongs in a women’s toilet or changing room .

Then, with PC Andrew Harper’s killers eligible for early release, James explores whether Andy Burnham should make an exception. Would that be justice, or a dangerous precedent in an overcrowded prison system?

This episode was recorded on the 5th of August. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week d...

Can someone with a past as a neo-Nazi genuinely change and, if so, should they be allowed to stand for election? James examines Kemi Badenoch’s defence of a controversial Conservative candidate, and where society should draw the line on second chances.

Plus: Britain’s prison system is full. As Burnham restricts early release for rapists, serious child sex offenders and groomers, James hears directly from former prisoners about what happens after release. What support do they need to prevent reoffending?

This episode was recorded on the 4th of August. James O'Brien Daily is a Glob...

What is school actually for? As Education Secretary Lucy Powell takes aim at a “schooling straitjacket”, James asks whether children are being tested too much - or whether testing is necessary to measure their success.

Then, a new report suggests that nearly two-thirds of voters want Burnham to introduce a wealth tax on assets above £10 million. Why does asking the super-rich to contribute more remain controversial? Have we been gaslit into protecting wealth we will never possess?

This episode was recorded on the 3rd of August. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week...

Is Donald Trump bringing peace to Gaza, or simply claiming credit for something that has not happened yet? James examines a new US-led proposal, Israel’s telling silence, and the political forces that could still derail any agreement.

Plus, TSB staff are preparing legal action after their new owner, Santander, insisted they return to the office for three days a week. Who should decide where you work: you or your boss?

This episode was recorded on the 31st of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wh...

Can climate change make your life feel better while making the world worse? James confronts the uneasy appeal of hotter British summers and asks how we can hold both truths at once: enjoying a warm evening in the garden while recognising the catastrophic reality of climate change.

Then, a challenging question about food. If organic eggs can have a bigger environmental footprint than caged ones, what does doing the “right” thing actually look like — and why aren’t more of us cutting down on meat and dairy?

This episode was recorded on the 30th of July. Ja...

In today’s episode, James dissects Andy Burnham’s speech on one of Britain’s most long-running crises: social care. Can the Prime Minister deliver the reform we have been waiting decades for?

Plus, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has repeatedly refused to apologise to Nigel Farage over a reposted image of a guillotine T-shirt. Should Polanski say sorry — or does Farage’s response expose a glaring double standard in political language?

This episode was recorded on the 29th of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or whereve...

France and Spain are facing devastating wildfires, mass evacuations and extreme heat — but why are so many of us tempted to look away? In today's episode, James confronts climate anxiety, news avoidance and the human reality behind the headlines.

Before that, an examination of Andy Burnham’s plans to give technical education greater status alongside academic learning.

This episode was recorded on the 28th of July. 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 epis...

Burnham has said the NHS ‘will collapse’ without social care reform, but what should those changes look like? James hears about listeners’ experiences of care home costs, before asking why Britain still has no fair way to fund care. Did Theresa May have the right idea with her ‘dementia tax’?

Then, James explores the growing number of young people who are too anxious to enter work, education or training. How can we help those who are frightened of the world take their first steps back into it?

This episode was recorded on the 27th of July. Jame...

Should Britain continue to support US military operations against Iran, even when Donald Trump seems unable to explain what victory looks like? Can Burnham refuse to join Trump's war without abandoning Britain's long-standing allies?

Then, as the Prime Minister cuts business rates for pubs and clubs, what do we really mean when we talk about "working-class culture"?

This episode was recorded on the 24th of July. 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...

In today’s episode, James responds to the Prime Minister’s plans to review the early prisoner release scheme, following news that two of PC Andrew Harper’s killers could be freed early. What can Burnham feasibly do between now and Christmas to make a difference to our prison system?

James also speaks with the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, about falling crime rates in the capital. Why are so many people determined to paint London as a dystopian hellhole?

This episode was recorded on the 23rd of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global...

Why is capping bus fares one of Andy Burnham’s first priorities? In today’s episode, James explores how affordable public transport can mean the difference between getting to work, attending a medical appointment or simply being able to get out of the house.

Then, a stark conversation about the reality of running out of money before payday. Callers share what it means to go without essentials — from food to toilet rolls and tampons — and James asks why so many people still refuse to acknowledge the precariousness facing millions of households.

This episode was recorded on the 2...

In this episode, James explores what will define Andy Burnham’s early days in Downing Street: style, substance, or both? From cutting energy bills to making people feel heard, the new Prime Minister is attempting to restore faith in politics.

Burnham has also made one of the first major pledges of his premiership: to end rough sleeping in this country. But is homelessness actually fixable?

This episode was recorded on the 21st of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make su...

Why does Britain keep tearing through Prime Ministers at breakneck speed? As Andy Burnham becomes the fifth Prime Minister in the past four years, James asks what's really behind the chaos: Brexit, media frenzy or a political culture that's addicted to change?

And with Keir Starmer bidding farewell to Downing Street today, what can Burnham offer that Starmer couldn't?

This episode was recorded on the 20th of July. 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...

As Andy Burnham prepares to become Prime Minister on Monday, James asks whether the new Labour leader's plan to move decision-making out of the capital is the right thing to do. Is this the start of a genuine political reset?

Then, with two million parents taking their child out of school during term-time, James asks whether it is ever acceptable to prioritise a holiday over their education.

This episode was recorded on the 17th of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you get your...

After England’s defeat to Argentina, James asks what’s changed in the national mood around the team — and why this group of players feels so different from those of the past. Then he turns to a more urgent question: if simply paying benefits isn’t enough, what would actually help young people who are out of work get into the workplace?

This episode was recorded on the 16th of July. 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 mi...

In today’s episode, James dives into the powerful, often irrational emotions football stirs in us, as England prepare to face Argentina in the World Cup semi-final. Why does supporting our team move us to tears?

From sporting nerves to a different national anxiety: retirement. With the state pension age rising and many feeling unprepared for life after work, James asks what happens when retirement comes too soon — or never feels within reach at all.

This episode was recorded on the 15th of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on G...

In today’s episode, James takes on two urgent questions shaping life in modern Britain: why coverage of extreme heat so often avoids mentioning the climate crisis, and why the UK is raising one of the unhealthiest generations of children in Europe.

This episode was recorded on the 14th of July. 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.

James O’Brien is back - and straight into the storm.

In today’s episode, James asks whether this time really is different for Nigel Farage, as questions mount over his secretive £5 million "gift', his shifting explanations, and a response that James argues has made him look rattled, thin-skinned and weak.

If Farage has always sold himself as the outsider taking on the establishment, has the mask finally slipped?

This episode was recorded on the 13th of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or where...

Independent MP Karl Turner guest presents James O’Brien Daily as he asks whether Andy Burnham would make a better Prime Minister than Keir Starmer.

Callers weigh in on Burnham’s communication style, Labour’s direction after Starmer, the pressures of modern media scrutiny, and whether a more devolved, regionally driven model of government could reconnect Westminster with the rest of the country.

(James is back on Monday!)

This episode was recorded on the 10th of July. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Player, or wherever you ge...

Robert Jenrick guest hosts the James O’Brien Daily podcast as Nigel Farage’s shock decision to quit as MP for Clacton and trigger a by-election dominates the national conversation.

Is this a bold democratic move that puts the question back to voters — or a political stunt designed to dodge scrutiny? Robert hears from callers on both sides as they clash over accountability, the parliamentary standards process, media coverage, and whether Farage is being targeted by the establishment or simply refusing to face the facts.

This week's guest hosts:

Friday: Independent MP Karl Turner...

Jess Phillips guest hosts the James O’Brien Daily podcast and doesn’t hold back.

With Nigel Farage triggering a by-election in Clacton rather than facing parliamentary scrutiny over questions about his finances, Jess asks whether this is political genius, political cowardice, or just a desperate grab for attention. As callers weigh in, the conversation turns to standards in public life, accountability, and whether Farage is playing the public for fools.

This week's guest hosts:

Thursday: Reform UK Treasury Spokesperson Robert Jenrick

Friday: Independent MP Karl Turner

This episode was...

Former Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting guest hosts the James O’Brien Daily podcast and takes on one of the biggest rows in public life: should NHS consultants be demanding more pay right now?

Drawing on his time in government, Wes reflects on the strikes threat, the pressures facing the NHS, and the difficult balance between valuing doctors properly and protecting the wider health service. Along the way, callers share powerful personal experiences of care, waste, staffing shortages, disability support, student debt, and what it really feels like trying to build a life in Britain to...

Angela Rayner guest hosts the James O’Brien Daily podcast and brings a mix of optimism, anger and straight-talking politics.

After England’s World Cup victory over Mexico lifted the mood, Angela asks what needs to change in Britain to make life feel fairer and more hopeful - from flexible working and better jobs to stronger public services and more opportunity for young people. She also takes on Nigel Farage over fresh questions about money, donations and transparency, and later turns to the care system to hear from those living and working through its daily pressures.

Th...

For his final turn in James' chair for now, Lewis Goodall asks whether Andy Burnham’s promised “circuit breaker” in British politics could really change anything at all.

After Burnham sets out his ambition to do politics differently - less point scoring, more problem solving, more power outside Westminster - Lewis and callers explore what people most dislike about the way British politics works now: the adversarial culture, the whipping system, the media-politics machine, and the grip of Whitehall. But even if everyone agrees the system is broken, can it actually be fixed from within?

This e...

Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien and takes on a quiet but profound crisis: Britain’s birth rate has fallen so far that deaths are now outnumbering births for the first time.

What does that mean for the future of the country, the economy, and the welfare state? And why are so many people choosing not to have children - or finding that they simply can’t afford to? From childcare costs and housing to careers, relationships and changing expectations, callers share the personal realities behind a huge national shift.

This episode was record...

Lewis Goodall sits in for James and asks a blunt question about Nigel Farage: if you want to be Prime Minister, how much outside money is too much?

With fresh questions over Farage’s earnings from a gold bullion company, on top of the already controversial £5 million gift from a crypto billionaire, Lewis explores whether Reform’s leader is starting to look less like an anti-establishment insurgent and more like a politician with too many financial interests to explain away. As callers weigh in, the debate turns to trust, standards in public life, and whether British politics is be...

Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien and takes on one of the biggest questions facing the country: are we spending enough on defence in a far more dangerous world?

As Keir Starmer unveils his final defence investment plan in what feels like one of the last big acts of his premiership, Lewis asks whether Britain is genuinely prepared for the threats ahead - from Russia and the High North to cyber warfare and a less reliable America. With ministers promising more money for drones and deterrence, but critics warning it still falls short, the debate tu...

Lewis Goodall sits in for James O’Brien and reacts to Andy Burnham’s first major speech as Prime Minister-in-waiting.

Broadcast from Manchester, Burnham sets out an ambitious vision for a “rewired Britain” - with a new Number 10 North, a huge shift of power away from Whitehall, major council house building, industrial strategy, and a promise to spread “good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart”. Lewis and callers ask the big question: is this the bold reset Britain has been waiting for, or a hopeful speech without the money to match?

This episode was...

With scientists linking the extreme temperatures directly to fossil fuel emissions, James explores why so many people still look away, why net zero is under political attack, and whether the heat itself might finally succeed where years of warnings have failed.

This episode was recorded on the 26th of June. 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.

As Britain braces for another record-breaking June scorcher, James O’Brien asks the question beyond the weather forecast: what are we actually going to do about extreme heat becoming the new normal?

Then, with Andy Burnham reportedly looking to move part of Number 10’s operation to Manchester, James turns to a thorny political and cultural question: does it matter if the next Prime Minister has a northern accent - and if so, why?

This episode was recorded on the 25th of June. James O'Brien Daily is a Global production, available every week day on Global Play...

The UK is experiencing another red weather warning heatwave this week. So why, even as temperatures soar and climate warnings become impossible to ignore, don't we feel the urgency?

And, on the 10th anniversary of Brexit, James O’Brien asks the question that still matters most: who was most responsible for it? From David Cameron and Boris Johnson to the media, Jeremy Corbyn and beyond, James and his callers revisit the decisions, lies and absurd moments that pushed Britain towards a national act of self-harm.

This episode was recorded on the 24th of June. James O...

James reacts to the resignation of Keir Starmer and asks the question now hanging over British politics: should Labour move fast to "crown" Andy Burnham as Prime Minister, or does the party need a proper contest?

This episode was recorded on the 23rd of June. 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.