James O'Brien Daily

What does 'working class' mean in Britain in 2026 and can a government genuinely build education policy around it? James O’Brien explores social mobility, poverty, privilege and the children most in need of support. Then, AI is being hailed as a potential cure for cancer. At the same time, leading researchers are warning it could kill us all. James O’Brien explores the extraordinary contradiction at the heart of the AI revolution. This episode was recorded on the 10th of September. 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.

Ed Miliband has declared that Britain will no longer treat illegal Israeli settlement activity as business as usual. James asks whether sanctions are a long-overdue assertion of international law, and why calling out the Israeli Government is so often wrongly conflated with antisemitism. Plus, what does occupation mean for children trying to get to school, access healthcare and live without fear? James is joined by Save the Children UK's Executive Director for Global Impact, George Graham. This episode was recorded on the 9th of September. 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 the UK moves to sanction goods from illegal Israeli settlements, James explores the arguments from all sides: is it a long-overdue response to injustice in the West Bank, an inadequate symbolic gesture, or a damaging political mistake? Then, Nigel Farage wants to ban face coverings after masked men terrorised communities in Dover and Portsmouth. But why does his answer appear to focus on Muslim women rather than the men causing the fear? This episode was recorded on the 8th of September. 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.

Reform claims to stand for women’s safety and free speech. So why was a young woman assaulted for heckling Nigel Farage and why did party figures respond with mockery rather than condemnation? Plus, callers reflect on the “other life” they might have lived if their ADHD, autism or learning needs had been recognised at school. This episode was recorded on the 7th of September. 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 do some people keep defending Nigel Farage, whatever happens? James considers the fresh allegations surrounding Reform’s funding and asks whether anger at the political establishment has become more powerful than facts, principles or self-interest. Plus, how do you cope when your mum, dad or closest friend becomes radicalised online? James hears from listeners whose relationships have been changed by far-right politics. This episode was recorded on the 4th of September. 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.

Is this the beginning of the end for Nigel Farage? As Reform UK slips behind the Conservatives in a new poll and bans critical journalists from its conference, James examines the pressure building around a party that says it stands for free speech. Then, James explores the lives behind the figures on workless households. What does it mean for children to grow up without parents in employment? This episode was recorded on the 3rd of September. 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.

Has Donald Trump swapped sides? James is joined by The Guardian ’s Luke Harding to examine Trump’s extraordinary relationship with Vladimir Putin, his retreat from Ukraine and the dangerous new age of conquest unfolding across the world. But first, Andy Burnham says Britain’s malaise can be traced back to privatisation, austerity, deindustrialisation and Brexit. Is he right — and can Britain undo 40 years of wrong turns? This episode was recorded on the 2nd of September. 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.

Six weeks into his premiership, Andy Burnham says he wants to bring optimism back to Britain. James asks why the country appears willing to believe in him — and whether authenticity, conviction and a willingness to challenge the old rules can survive the realities of government. Plus, as Burnham tells MPs that “more public control” is the way to grow the UK economy, what is your immediate reaction to renationalisation? Why does privatisation have such a hold on the public imagination? This episode was recorded on the 1st of September. 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 than 200 extra police officers have been sent into Middlesbrough following a series of violent incidents in recent days. But what’s behind the sudden surge in police presence and what is really happening on the streets? And, what if your dream home became a nightmare? Victims of cowboy builders have been left thousands out of pocket and living with unfinished, unsafe homes. Now, new government plans aim to stop others suffering the same fate. This episode was recorded on the 28th 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 miss an episode.

Could AI replace your job? And, if it can, what should society do about it? James considers warnings that the technology may soon outpace our ability to manage its consequences, from mass unemployment to a crisis in education. Also, as easyJet more than doubles its over-50s cabin crew and encourages retraining, James asks why one career should have to last a lifetime. He hears remarkable stories from people who took the leap and found their calling later in life. This episode was recorded on the 27th 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 miss an episode.

As Israel moves ahead with settlement plans that could destroy any remaining prospect of a two-state solution, James asks whether Andy Burnham’s government can continue to do nothing. Are sanctions now the only meaningful response? Plus, Britons are being urged to prepare for emergencies. From storing water to stocking up on tinned food, how ready are we if normal life suddenly stops working? This episode was recorded on the 26th 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 miss an episode.

Following the deaths of two police officers in a fatal wrong-way crash, James examines the online videos that glamorise dangerous driving. Is it enough to blame TikTok, or do millions of views reveal a demand that viewers are helping to create? Plus, as one in seven people in England are prescribed antidepressants, James explores the difference between everyday sadness and clinical depression. What support really helps people get better? This episode was recorded on the 25th 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 miss an episode. If you’re affected by anything discussed in this episode, you can call the Samaritans for free, at any time, on 116 123.

As lifelong Conservative voters describe themselves as politically homeless, has Kemi Badenoch abandoned the party’s traditional values in favour of culture wars and social-media soundbites? And, with graduates facing an increasingly uncertain job market and AI threatening white-collar roles, are traditional trades now a safer bet than university? Plus, three-quarters of secondary schools reportedly breaking food standards. Why are British children still being served crisps, burgers and chocolate, and who is responsible for fixing school food? This episode was recorded on the 24th 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 miss an episode.

Racism and sexism are becoming normalised in Britain, according to Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson. From casual racist language to far-right narratives online, when did behaviour once considered beyond the pale start to feel ordinary? Then, as England has been described as a “maths powerhouse” following improved exam results, James explores the lifelong impact of maths anxiety, dyscalculia and an education system that can shut doors on young people. This episode was recorded on the 21st 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 miss an episode.

As Harry and Meghan prepare to return to the UK later this month, what would they need to do to make a life in Britain possible again? James explores the racism and misogyny surrounding Meghan’s treatment, and the media machine that helped turn affection into fury. Also, boys are catching up with girls at GCSE and outperforming them at A-Level. Are exam-heavy assessments, classroom policy and changing pressures on young people reshaping the results gap? This episode was recorded on the 20th 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 miss an episode.

As Andy Burnham launches his 'national drive' to get rough sleepers off the streets by Christmas, James examines why homelessness has become part of the backdrop of city life. Plus, new research suggests London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone has helped children’s lungs recover from the effects of pollution. So why did ULEZ provoke such extraordinary fury? This episode was recorded on the 19th 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 miss an episode.

Donald Trump has threatened to bomb US ally Oman if it “gets in the way” of talks with Iran. As he fuels instability across the world, why has the public conversation about Trump become quieter rather than louder? Have we become desensitised? Plus, as Wetherspoon bans customers from playing music on their phones in pubs, James asks: why don’t we feel shame about disturbing other people anymore? This episode was recorded on the 18th 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 miss an episode.

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 subscribe so you never miss an episode. If you’re affected by anything discussed in this episode, you can call the Samaritans for free, at any time, on 116 123.

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 Player, or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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 never miss an episode.