James O'Brien on Brexit, Boris and the people who broke Britain | The News Meeting bonus podcast

Join us on Weds 6 December for The News Meeting Live at the Tabernacle, with special guest Robert Peston - tickets here 👉 www.intelligencesquared.com/e...
LBC presenter James O’Brien talks to Tortoise’s editor-in-chief James Harding about the people who he thinks broke Britain, why there aren’t any rules anymore and his approach to journalism.
James Harding also discusses some of the people he includes in his new book, ‘How They Broke Britain’, and asks how his experience presenting Newsnight affected how he thinks about balance and impartiality.
You can hear what James O’Brien thinks should lead the news in a recent episode of The News Meeting here: pod.fo/e/200a61
Listen to every episode of The News Meeting - subscribe here: podfollow.com/the-news-meeting

[@darrinmcneill534]

Rupert murdoch should be in jail

[@frankbrennan1619]

Your lack of basic grammar should be locked up.

[@swanvictor887]

frankly, considering how old the bastard is, he should be in his box by now...!

[@frankbrennan1619]

@@swanvictor887 He's only 50 but he does look even more gammony than the gammons he despises....

[@Paul_C]

​@@swanvictor887in all probability his obituary already has been written, just a few minor additions needed. Be those from the Guardian or the Times or the Sun.

[@CloudhoundCoUk]

Too late he is on his way to hell.

[@denniswinters3096]

James O'Brien is one of the only people telling the truth in this country at the moment. Like he says, you have to take a big step back to fully realise what now passes for the "new normal."

[@davidbaxter4910]

AGREED.

[@user-fu2cb9ir6n]

My husband has lived and worked more than 2 decades as a medical doctor ..he loved living there, me too for few years we really enjoyed England, travelled whole of UK people were so friendly and helpful, never experienced any racism slurs, but we have to go back Germany in 2015 because of the Brexit election, l am saddened about the current situation now. I hope after sometime UK 🇬🇧 can re-enter EU again, good luck.

[@owenhaskins7193]

Every generation needs people to speak truth to power. James O'Brien is one of those people.

[@davidfoster2006]

BS.

[@RobertLogan]

@@davidfoster2006 Bravo Sir I assume? The comment is put perfectly.

[@rhymingoz]

@@davidfoster2006 he's a serious intellect

[@JwayT]

Carl beech

[@owenhaskins7193]

@@JwayT true, but just because he was wrong about that does not mean he is wrong about everything....O'Brien has been proven mostly right about most things.

[@charleshogg8184]

A breth of fresh air , James , keep up the good work,honest, decent, seeker of the truth.

[@jamescosgrow6997]

How nice it is to hear a well thought out conversation between two people that do not agree on everything but can informationally and calmly project a much needed discussion … so refreshing these days ..

[@tortoisemedia]

Thanks very much for watching

[@CarlinConnolly]

my thoughts exactly!

[@witchsistah]

Because grown-ups were speaking.

[@mychealleftfoot9030]

JoB is a smug anti-democrat, I'm afraid. He seeks to displace blame rather than change the system. Nauseating.

[@oldbadgerface]

@@mychealleftfoot9030 How is he anti-democratic?

[@ianchisholm5756]

That the host feels the need to pause the conversation and praise Rupert Murdoch speaks volumes about the type of journalist that James O'Brien skewers in his book and on his show.

[@3373just]

Agreed! And his attempt to paint A.Neil as unbiased! 🤣

[@johnholkham2420]

Couldn’t keep Fararge away from fishermen and farmers, now he needs to avoid fishermen and farmers like the plague.

[@oldishandwoke-ish1181]

Fishermen and farmers gave their heads a wobble too late ....

[@howwwwwyyyyy]

It was always our government refusing the help towards fishermen from the eec,it was common knowledge amongst them,as for farmers,are people so dense to believe that if they had a captive country to sell to that they wouldn't take advantage of it? In fact many big farms are run by managers and not the so called farmer who owns the land

[@wanderschlosser1857]

No big deal for Nigel, that's what he would naturally do anyway. He only got near them to push his populist agenda.

[@jonpritz8358]

Great journalism folks - thank you..

[@jacquelinebrunet1257]

Je ne suis pas anglaise mais j aime ce journaliste Il est calme même si le sujet est grave et que l interviewé n est pas parfois correct Merci et bravo Mr Obrien

[@roelkomduur8073]

Mr O'Brien.

[@barneyrubble1964]

When talking about objectivity it is worth noting the following quote; “If someone says it’s raining, and another person says it’s dry, it’s not your job to quote them both. Your job is to look out the window and find out which is true” (attributed to Jonathan Foster), another version of the same thing (on Texas reporting) attributed to Hubert Mewhinney "If Jimmy Allred says it’s raining, and W. Lee O’Daniel says it isn’t raining.” Mewhinney wrote. “Texas newspapermen quote them both, and don’t look out the window to see which is lying, and to tell the readers what the truth is at the moment.”

[@matthewmcbride28]

Spoken like a good propagandist.

[@jokeradviser5843]

The American version expresses very well this irritating "fair balance" paradigm which is a fallacy that could "justify" almost everything, including minority fringe views...

[@garymelrose9727]

@@matthewmcbride28 - how so?

[@rogerwilco2]

Americans have been afraid of stepping on politicians toes doing investigative journalism since Watergate. Not the journalists themselves, but the owners of the media.

[@nataliejohnson9526]

I am not from the UK. I watched Brexit unfold in horror. I could not understand how so many could vote for their own economic sanctions and zero role in creating the rules that will control their economy. For the dubious benefit of keeping the Polish and the Romaninans out.

[@matthewprince9705]

The Leave campaign was selling the rose tinted vision of the "great" British Empire: controlling nearly half the world, winning the World Cup in 1966, the Royal Family and generally Britain being the best at anything and in charge. It's a false reality that could never happen.

[@malthusXIII-fo3ep]

Read up about the Maastricht Treaty 1992...that's why I voted to leave...to get out of the Brussels Soviet Union.

[@sinistregoth]

​@malthusXIII-fo3ep What was it about this that you didn't like over the 24+years we lived with it , that is now resolved?

[@Gameovermam]

The EU for all its faults, did more for this country in deprived areas than any political party since the NHS was created. By leaving we cut off our right arm, when we only needed to address the splinter in the end of our finger. Believe it or not we had the sovereign right.

[@Bran9]

​@@malthusXIII-fo3epand now you are in the sunny uplands long may you enjoy

[@TheGrimSleeper7]

Really enjoyed that. James has got the mouth, but unlike many in the public sphere he also has the intelligence to back what he says up.

[@Bless-cs9ct]

Men like James are a dying breed in England.

[@mcihs2]

Good!!

[@Bless-cs9ct]

@@mcihs2 I mean, u even look like a m0r0n.

[@amcc5887]

Sure are,,,👍

[@stephenfoskett4633]

Thank god for that !

[@Crusty_Camper]

The country was riding high in the Olympic year 2012. How far we have fallen since then. It's a total disaster but there are still people cheering it on.

[@Maltloaflegrande]

I'd dispute that: we were already two years into austerity and the effects were showing.

[@kyorin6526]

It got worse over time though, so the first two years of decline may have gone reletively unnoticed for many, obviously after 14 years of decline, unless you're a millionaire/billionaire, you will have felt the difference, some more acutely than others.

[@Maltloaflegrande]

@@kyorin6526 Yes, it sort of developed in a vaguely exponential fashion. The first five years were gradual decline with the pinch felt most by the least wealthy, negligible for the well-off and the super-rich benefitting. Cameron's majority in 2015 started the process working through the gears with stealth privatisation of the NHS particularly prominent but after 2016 - where to start?

[@malthusXIII-fo3ep]

@@Maltloaflegrande Start of that ''first five years''...the coffers were empty...sorry...no money left...Brown's toxic legacy.

[@northernirishguy3668]

If you watch the opening ceremony to the Olympics it was designed to feed into the brexit narrative with the mention of the war!

[@haveaseatplease]

The problem with Britain is that people hold strong opinions based on nothing at all.

[@John-vh3xm]

The problem with English is they are politically thick

[@oldishandwoke-ish1181]

Disagree. People are very aware that something is very wrong. What they have not been told is why.

[@oldishandwoke-ish1181]

@@John-vh3xm Design, not accident.

[@4rct1c9Ic3m4n]

They have strong opinion about their own BS

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

The problem with Britain is it’s been flooded with non British people who don’t hold British values and hate the west. Your culture is dying.

[@colinbrown1321]

James describes very well the demise of the Conservative Party since 2016 and how moderate conservatives are no longer welcome in the Party.

[@V4Now]

The demise started with Austerity and Tuition fees.

[@englishsteve1465]

@@V4Now There will, of course, be many views on the question of when the rot really set in. For me I'd put it at around the time of the sad ending to the mine workers strike. Thatcher had long planned for that eventuality and afterwards, very quietly, various laws were introduced, gotten rid of and/or changed, to take power away from trade unions and demonstrators.

[@user-zu6qn9ux9n]

The Conservative Party is just not conservative anymore. It’s a bunch of liberal woke idiot puppets.

[@oldishandwoke-ish1181]

@@V4Now It started with Thatcher and the re-introduction of "free" market economics.

[@howwwwwyyyyy]

And left leaning people are thrown out of the Labour party, people need reminding that a war was fought, millions died to prevent exactly what is happening

[@125ZJK]

Not since the late great John Peel have I regularly listened to a Radio Presenter. Mr O'brien, Salute. Evolve but never change :)

[@MrSquuqs]

Crikey, I hadn't realised that :)

[@user-op9bn5zm2q]

He was so right supporting and enabling the election of boris, oh wait

[@markbennett865]

Did the great John Peel have questionable sexual encounters or is that OK because he was a socialist?@@MrSquuqs

[@MrSquuqs]

I totally agree with that, I still listen to him though, every day.@@user-op9bn5zm2q

[@MrSquuqs]

allegations .. jury judge conviction, before all that silly stuff the allegations might as well come from a smurf.@@flotinaway7 And I'm very aware that the investigation side of it must be changed.

[@kimfinkbeiner6949]

it's amazing the parallel between the US and Britain, going back to pre-2016, including the people who were put in positions of power who were completely unqualified (or actively against what they then represented...crazy)

[@manda60]

And largely supported by Russia, and assisted with Russian manipulation of social media.

[@Bigbudd0045]

It all stems back to Thatcher and Reagan, with a healthy dose of rupert murdoch. Gut taxes on the wealthy, deregulate major industries, and privatize utilities, gut rules on corporations, gut social services and education, blame it all on immigrants and small groups, use social wedge issues to keep different segments of the poor/working/middle class at each others throats while their standards of living degrade and they live on more and more credit...eventually the squeeze kicks in for those at the upper middle class level.

[@howwwwwyyyyy]

​@@manda60proven nonsense, get your facts right

[@manda60]

@@howwwwwyyyyy sure thing comrade

[@matthewprince9705]

Yes James, WHY does American Kate Andrews of the IEA think tank and Spectator tory magazine keep appearing on British political news shows?

[@alanbarker2279]

The IEA is not a think tank it is a lobbyist group which hides its funding!

[@howwwwwyyyyy]

Why do you think?-The US controls British politics and have done for a long time

[@SalmonFume]

Excellent journalist. I am very found of Britishness. I think the current government(s) have been an embarresment for the UK. I've been visiting this interesting island since I've been 15 years old. The British population and it's culture, arts, humor, etc .. have enriched my life. The current political landscape seems to be taking the governed for fools, which they are certainly not. All I can say as a foreigner since my recent visit, that the living standards have obviously gone down and it shows. You are the UK, speak out, change is possible. Don't be guided by fear. Demand a government that is accountable and has some common decency. Get rid of those stupid taboos. We're not baby's. We are decent people.

[@englishsteve1465]

I thank you for your thoughts and I assure you that although we are, as a nation, often slow to reach the end of our patience with our "leaders".................................. I strongly sense a tipping point is not very far away. When the pendulum finally begins to swing in the opposite direction, I for one will be adding my weight to it, to ensure it swings as far as possible away from the right and to the left.

[@dorsetbigcats6292]

@@englishsteve1465 How far left do you wish to tack? The two main UK political parties are both left-leaning with little to choose between them; they are essentially two cheeks of the same backside.

[@Pine_eagle_1985]

Brexit and HS2 are bizarrely similar in that they were both heavily invested in and embarked on without anyone listening to the fact that the UK could not afford to complete either task as promised.

[@mcihs2]

HS2 failed like most infrastructure projects in this country due nimby-ism and extensive corruption, much like the pandemic response it was a “gravy train” for the well connected. I’m not sure how having Germany run the country would help, although admittedly they can deliver infrastructure projects at a fraction of the costs. Western Civilisation is now in late stage collapse, and no amount of tinkering is going to save it, prepare for a much simpler and violent life, with a much lower standard of living…

[@MartinParsons-tr6wi]

HS2 and remain were both big business objectives, running counter to the well being of this nation

[@tumblefatboy]

Thats such an odd point of view - HS2 yes but remain - what are you on about?

[@MartinParsons-tr6wi]

@@tumblefatboy Airstrip 1 (1984). Subjugation by the MIC. Watch the film Brazil (Terry Gilliam). That's what people voted against

[@johnrowland3105]

Isn't it nice when you get political discourse that doesn't descend to the stuff seen and heard from the Commons on a weekly basis ?

[@davewicks1300]

Brilliant analysis. The problem is that the general public have no exposure to or understanding of any of this

[@aleph8888]

No, it’s just bitter anti democratic eurotrash propaganda. They are sad because they lost some of their travel privileges and want to talk the country down out of spite.

[@suzannameakins3025]

James always speaks with integrity and intelligence and common senses and calls out the corruption, bigotry and hypocracy jingoism that has lead to the sorry state of politics we're forced to live with today

[@pietropes1322]

It's always been like that tbh - remember Thatcher, Kinnock, Blair etc etc

[@frankbrennan1619]

As the late great Bob Monkhouse said '' sincerity, once you can fake that, you've got it made'' & Sir War Criminal Bliar had it in spades until he became a War Criminal & the same with a very rich & very posh multi - millionaire illiberal liberal operating as a mainstream performance artist five days a week on the radio & so perversely & so ridiculously posing as some kind of champion for the lower orders & even worse, many of the poor & the vulnerable fall for his mainstream performance artist act & that is his most wicked sin......

[@Youalleatmuffins]

​@@pietropes1322yeah but it's on another level now

[@alka7145]

O'Brien is an excellent speaker and thinker. Might have to look into his books.

[@laurie113]

Sounds like trumps America? Murdoch needs to be stopped.

[@suntzu94]

More like Biden’s America

[@MarkkuS]

​@@suntzu94lol Biden has done literally nothing. And people still blame him for shit 😂

[@amcc5887]

​@@suntzu94,🤣🤣🤣

[@user-gt2hr8yk4x]

"... the BBC are frightened..." errm with good reason given it's at the mercy of a govt. that has control over the licence fee, no?

[@sassythesasquatch4425]

If we all stopped paying, bbc would be dead in few months

[@suefila6699]

James O’B - when the steam begins to thunder through my ears, your’s is the voice of reason I seek. Please continue to speak out on behalf of the majority of us who are aghast at where 13 years of Tory destruction has brought us. Thank you!

[@roger_melly5025]

Keep fighting the good fight James

[@rolandhawken6628]

Or what you think is a good fight

[@frankbrennan1619]

Very rich & very posh multi - millionaire illiberal liberals are always very good at ''fighting the good fight'' for adding more millions to their already multi - millions.....

[@royisherwood910]

james is one of the greatest people alive today in the uk

[@lengravy]

James O'brien and Jonathan Pie!

[@paulgibbons2320]

OMG.

[@Paul-bs4cz]

If you like a stroppy arrogant reporter

[@andyking5431]

😂😂

[@user-vj4hs3li8d]

get a grip

[@User-pu3lc]

Loved living and working in London. Left the UK as the referendum was actually starting to take effect. Sad to see what they’ve done to themselves.

[@railworker8058]

I really wish that the overt Tory connections to Putin were mentioned and explored here. That’s an ecosystem in itself. There’s a lot of talk of rulebooks, adherence to, immolation of, but the insidious Magna Carta was undoubtedly penned in the Kremlin. Russia has a fine literary pedigree, but this is a tome that resonates alongside the ramblings of Mein Kampf, the allegory of the mother of all fascism. People who broke Britain are still breaking it. The same as those who broke America, my own Canada too. They maintain this destructive latitude because no one dare challenge or even question it. Just like some banks are too big to fail, some possibilities are too dire to explore? There’s an investigation examining Russian influence in British politics somewhere securely secreted. Will this ever be revealed? Even a Labour government might not want to confront the reality. David Cameron’s ties to China now expand the potential for the role of dystopia in unravelling democracy.

[@3373just]

Wriggling around the hypocrisy of Neil & Gibb at the BBC was insanely cringe!

[@jamesprice4647]

Good interview - much better that the interviewer scrutinizes, which is of course exactly what O'Brien says an interviewer should do.

[@frankbrennan1619]

The interviewer James Harding doesn't ''scrutinize'' the very rich & very posh multi- millionaire mainstream media performance artist nowhere near enough, but thankfully he doesn't let the illiberal liberal continually incessantly rant.....

[@chriswhite1417]

Yes the way in which the likes of the Institute of Economic Affairs have infested Sky News has angered me for years. Now we have Mark Littlewood in the Lords, forever embedded and legitimised in our political life

[@jeffsimon9594]

I think you were probably angry anyway

[@malthusXIII-fo3ep]

Lords is 2-1 left wing...fact.

[@chriswhite1417]

Alright, Gandhi. Lol @@jeffsimon9594

[@ilokivi]

@@malthusXIII-fo3ep 'Emergency legislation' reasoning rears its head again. Stating an opinion as fact does not make it so.

[@chriswhite1417]

When someone says "fact" at the end of a post you know they don't know what they're talking about. There are 261 Conservative Lords in the HoL, 174 Labour and 83 Lib Dems. @@malthusXIII-fo3ep

[@jokeradviser5843]

In our days, who pays attention to logical arguments and empirical analysis?

[@RalphBrooker-gn9iv]

In terms of impartiality and balance, I think it worth lamenting the cynical discarding of *accuracy* and *sincerity* - what the late Bernard Williams called the ‘virtues of truth’ - in the political information game. It wasn’t ever thus.

[@charleswindsor1184]

When I'm PM, we'll rejoin James. Give me 5 years

[@ancientmariner7372]

James O’Brien is a legend. Wise and intelligent.

[@rickbear7249]

The more divided our country becomes, with larger numbers of people with extreme attitudes, the more common it will be for the jury (typically selected from within their own cultural community) to reach these extraordinary decisions. Society's traditional values are changing, according to the part of society a jury comes from.

[@cosmos237]

The large silent majority wish to conserve our traditional values, however our institution are largely out of step with the wider populace, hence the 'polarisation',which in reality is simply push back against those who mistake change for progress...

[@user-uu5hc7up4i]

right,,,,look at us usa,,,,if u want to be "unitatarian and liberal and watever other acronym u can come up with" yur path is evident

[@johnflynn451]

we just have a different kind of MPs now days ,they were called carpet baggers decades ago.

[@alingard1]

we are extremely lucky to have james o brien as a journalist in this country. He's a national treasure. honestly we take for granted people like him and outlets like the guardian. we shouldnt , theyre not guarenteed, a lot of coutries do not have theis type of journalism. we need to protect them, encourage them and nurture more like it too.

[@bigglesbiggles1]

I've been listening to the audio book since i got it yesterday. Addictive....I live in NZ but see parallels with some of the similar types here, eg we have the Tax Payers Union, funded by tobacco, etc as opposed to the Tax Payers Association. We are likely heading into an austerity regime very shortly. Scarey times

[@frankbrennan1619]

What we are only ever ''heading into very shortly'' with a so-called ''new'' Government is ONLY at least another decade of even more low growth, even more low productivity, even more Government borrowing, even more higher taxation, even more mass uncontrolled & mass unskilled immigration, even more foodbanks, even worse public services & at least a full blown recession or three all thrown in for good measure. Happy days!!!

[@scottyfive4319]

@@frankbrennan1619 In the UK for ALL our problems Thatcher laid the foundations and government after government built on her foundations. Rich allowed to get VERY VERY rich, the poor getting poorer month on month with very few jobs pay anything worth a SHIT. The UK now has some of the poorest people in all of Europe and more people are dropping into that level.

[@frankbrennan1619]

@@scottyfive4319 And very rich & very posh multi-millionaire illiberal liberals with their rabid & rancid luxury belief systems like you know who, still even now only want to inflict even more mass uncontrolled & mass unskilled immigration on the already low & very low paid.....

[@andrewharrison7767]

@@scottyfive4319 if you listen to job talking about brexit, you could be forgiven for believing life was perfect until 2016 - however your comment is more accurate imo, although thankfully she didn't follow the republican versions of extreme small state which meant usa became even more unequal society than uk

[@scottyfive4319]

@@andrewharrison7767 Yes the UK has been sinking slowly, sadly those that would be and are getting the worst effects of Brexit voted for it. Most do not even understand what is happening to them. I am one of the lucky ones my pensions add up to just below the median wage and with my wife's pension then her full government pension next year we will do OK and we can always go down to one car, sell the caravan etc. So if things get worse which they undoubtably will we will still be OK. The problem for the UK as a whole is that 50%+ of the population are struggling NOW.

[@paulhammond6978]

I've come here on the basis that this interview with JOB was recommended by youtube, but I think I got the name immediately. the idea is that you are doing "slow news". So great name, and great idea. I assume that the idea is to do a more indepth look at the events and people behind the headlines we see day to day.

[@An-Ma]

Good conversation, needs to be heard. 👍

[@tortoisemedia]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@matthewprince9705]

​@@tortoisemediathis should be on TV, you can't get serious constructive criticism of the Tories and Brexit on British TV. Question Time won't allow it and Laura Kuessenberg (sp?) was appointed to deliver soft ball questions to the Tories by the BBC desperate to be on side and preserve the licence fee...

[@alingard1]

Yes, but in reality the people watching already know these issues.... unfortunately. You try getting someone who isn't on side to watch it. It's easier herding cats.

[@terencefield3204]

Interesting but incorrect, unfortunately

[@HaZa-bz1xy]

Superb interview. Thank you both.

[@willie-whistleblower]

The title 'How they Broke Britain' has echos of the book 'Snippets...How Boris Beggared Britain'--also a work well worth reading.

[@specialized500]

I believe it was only the SNP who voted against having a referendum so nearly the whole of the political class can be blamed for Brexit

[@frankbrennan1619]

Two kitchens Miliband was never ever going to give us the electorate a Referendum on our EU membership simply because he knew that you never ever ask a question you might not like the answer to, whereas ''Call me Dave'' Cameron thought he could get away with it.....

[@loneprimate]

Kind of ironic that the SNP, of all parties, was opposed to a referendum... :)

[@annemoncrieff3875]

​@@loneprimatestupid comment

[@martinlee465]

​@@loneprimatean apple is not an orange

[@bipolarminddroppings]

@@loneprimate not as ironic as Brexiteers who are opposed to Scottish independence. Or Remainers who are in favour of Scottish independence. You either think that we're better off together, strength in numbers, etc or you think it's better to go alone. You can't be in favour of the EU but also of an Independent Scotland or vice versa without some serious mental gymnastics. I had a great fun saying to Br exiteers "So why are you opposed to Scotland leaving the UK?" and then after they answered saying "Now replace the word Scotland with UK, and UK with EU and tell me why you're suddenly on the other side of the argument" Personally, I think Scotland would be bonkers to leave the UK, and Brexit basically proves that for all to see, Scotland will never leave now. If we had stayed in the EU, we might have eventually lost Scotland because an independent Scotland within the EU might be okay, but outside the EU, they would collapse before they could become members.

[@StratsRUs]

James Harding sounds like a man battling his own iceberg of Cognitive Dissonance. JOB has at times , criticised Starmer constructively too.

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

It’s funny how stupid people heard the phrase “cognitive dissonance” and assumed it’s a bad thing.

[@stephenfegan6827]

Your great James

[@frankbrennan1619]

Your complete lack of basic grammar isn't....

[@jeffsimon9594]

YOU'RE or YOU ARE. Spellcheck a Socialist.

[@user-zo6mh8gn3f]

The British people broke Britain, by voting Conservative in 2010 and on and on, blame the people who voted Conservative in 2019, don't complain you voted for them

[@amcc5887]

The English people voted torie and brexit, Welsh people vote Labour, Scottish people vote snp and rejected brexit, united Kingdom is not united anymore, I doubt it ever was,,,

[@alanscott7798]

Go after Murdoch - these two skirt around it.

[@MalakianM2S]

"The parameters of what's normal"... aka in anything that Murdoch touches the overton window doesn't move sideways it goes directly to the opposite side of the house.

[@gottliebdee263]

Those three stooges didn’t break Britain on their own. WE, the voters need also to shoulder some responsibility as we continually vote them in. We’re happy to either; 1). Support a two party system. We have the Lib Dem’s you say- yes we do but we don’t look into them seriously enough to know what they REALLY stand for. 2). A lot of us don’t vote. Just like the Aussies this should be compulsory. 3). We have short memories and get bored far too quickly. Hold your politicians to account, and not just the ones on the opposition side. We should STILL be demonstrating about at least Sunak and Johnson and the wrongs they did. 4). WE need to take the time to do the research when it comes to politics. If we really did we’d still be in the UK or we’d at least have been better prepared for the exit. 5). Feedback. We need to let the politicians know not just when they got it wrong but where they got it wrong. Just voting for someone else doesn’t help any of us mend the problems.

[@meenabootle6777]

Listening this brilliant interview ,I am watching from New Zealand,thank You.

[@starmersbarber]

Hello New Zealand. I'm listening from Glasgow, but I regularly dream of your beautiful country. When things are getting too much, I'm grateful that I've gone through the experience of cycling in the South Island on a summer Monday morning...and not even realising it's a Monday morning!

[@RalphBrooker-gn9iv]

I feel a sense of debt to James because Britain was/is broken. I think of the electorate, the spiteful reasons of many if not all (the Stewart Lee joke about ‘generalisations’). But the desire for power for power’s sake rather than the welfare of the state and its constituent people, the international responsibilities of modern well developed democracy. I despise these people.

[@juliehughes2265]

And now we have Boris coming out and saying the world needs Trump in the Whitehouse. I have no words .

[@helveticaification]

Now I'm even more depressed. Thanks, James ! We have missed you, even if the Beeb honours-seekers haven't. LBC would be mad to lose you. Hang in there.- we need you.

[@sa9861]

Great conversation. Listening from Australia 🦘

[@jonathansimmons5353]

Me too in australia. I moved to oz from uk bcos i never thought we could escape the EU and be a sovereign nation again.

[@user-im8us6sg5d]

​@@jonathansimmons5353Me thinks,you've probably done the right thing,but for the wrong reasons.Sovereignty?This country is in a mess and Brexit hasn't finished with us yet.But Boris got Brexit done😂Enjoy Aus😊

[@jonathansimmons5353]

@@user-im8us6sg5d i wish to live in a country that is not run by a foreign comittee.

[@jonathansimmons5353]

@@user-im8us6sg5d Japan trades the world over, japan doesnt pay into a standover committee in a foreign land to do so, Japanese visa and immigration system isn't overridden by a standover foreign committee for 27 countries on the back of its international trading arrangements, giving 27 countries citizens unfettered access to Japanese jobs, welfare, healthcare,and housing and paying billions of yen for the privilege.. ~Its "Project Reality" ~its how the rest of the world works in 169 countries

[@thisisus.504]

I won't be watching I'm a celebrity this year SPECIFICALLY due to Nigel Garage appearing. I'd rather inject lemon juice into my own eye balls.

[@petelove9731]

Really enjoyed that conversation. Cheers

[@tortoisemedia]

Thanks very much for watching Pete!

[@informedchoice2249]

The bottom line here is that what would seem to be borne out by psychological examinations of particular social views is that right wing views seem to be more bombastic and less tolerant than left wing views and that's probably a reflection of personality type. If you listen to Peterson interviews he talks at some length about personality type and political belief and it seems to be borne out in this instance. They cry about balance but cry imbalance when balances offered.

[@frankbrennan1619]

The Jew hating marches we've seen all over Europe in recent weeks are most certainly ''more bombastic & less tolerant'' of ANYTHING akin to ANY kind of ''balance'' & how could they ever be ''balanced'' when the Jew hating mob quite literally want ALL Jews & Israel to be wiped off the face of the earth & NONE of that is being done in the name of ''right wing views''

[@MaxMisterC]

Reminds me of the expression: "When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression!!"

[@frankbrennan1619]

@@MaxMisterC And there are few more privileged than a very rich & very posh multi -millionaire illiberal liberal operating as only yet another performance artist in the mainstream media....

[@bigtone718]

James O'Brien is a national jewel and someone i have a huge amount of admiration for. i salute and respect you sir from the U.S.A!!💯👍

[@LessTalkingMoreWalking]

@bigtone718 "James O'Brien is a national jewel" hahahaha.

[@bigtone718]

@@LessTalkingMoreWalking yes he is, what's funny about that?

[@allonwne]

@@bigtone718Nothing

[@abbersj2935]

If you notice, in true tory fashion, harding never answers questions when his position is clearly challenged by James, ignores it and just asks more questions. tories are Never happy with a level playing field, it always has to be seriously skewed in their favour. Even then, they create a mayhem of falsehoods and accusations.

[@tonycollyweston6182]

Every word is true gold

[@rosehill9537]

Murdoch using the same writers for both the tabloids and the more "intellectual" papers is something we see here in Australia too. We see the same buzzwords talking points and narratives then repeated on the TV by sky news aus. They reinforce the chosen narrative words and talking points.

[@petertaylor1447]

Looking forward to hearing James at Henley Literary Festival on Friday 17 November. Such a perceptive and thought provoking analysis view on our political environment.

[@frankbrennan1619]

Well it was never ever going to be the Burnley Literary Festival or the Redcar Literary Festival.....

[@lestrem11]

Yes ,it should be thrilling….’you are doing it all wrong’😂😂😂

[@davidbaxter4910]

AGREED.

[@davidbaxter4910]

YESS....

[@fredafc]

I have disagreed with James O'Brien on Manny occasions but I would without doubt vote for him to lead our country over any voice in the last 30 years... I liken him to a good parent....you might not always like what they say but deep down inside you know you would do well to listen.

[@user-zh1id7rr6p]

Delusional

[@user-ou9kv5cz2c]

​@@user-zh1id7rr6pLOL

[@fredafc]

@@user-zh1id7rr6p you me or him.

[@alanbarker2279]

@@user-zh1id7rr6p Yet another channel formed in Aug 2023 with no subscribers and no videos - TROLL!

[@OK-hl6qd]

Great interview

[@raphaelandrews3617]

It proves two things,1) you should NEVER let foreigners run your newspapers and news media and 2) you should never give people a vote on a important issue like, membership of the EU.

[@user-gy1cf5ki9v]

Love this!

[@GWills-ys6rd]

James O'Brien literally kept me sane following the EU referendum, we all knew it would be a failure. James was possibly the only voice at the time to publicise the obvious catastrophic errors in governing. The most concerning aspect was that the general public had been completely mislead by the Conservative government.

[@garyb455]

Anyway you got nothing to say about the new trade deal signed yesterday with Florida ? couldn't do that in the EU and its the 16th biggest economy in the World

[@koltoncrane3099]

Doesn’t the EU have big problems like the ECB selling German bonds to then buy Italian bonds to prevent spreads in yields from growing? It’s a mess from what I hear. If the EU wants to last it needs to force it to be a monetary and fiscal union. Germany and Italy etc should Bend the knee and become states and not countries and make the EU the only one country so that way it can have only one bond market and force states to balance their books so the EU federal government could then take on excess debt or force austerity.

[@robertcottam8824]

@@garyb455 Wow. Reduced to crowing about trade deals with Disneyland. Just wow.

[@ThePatcarolan]

​@@garyb455😂 Oh man..Florida and Ron De Santis😂😂..Oh sure it will be a gateway to what exactly ..😂😂

[@terryfinnie2146]

​@@garyb455you can not have an independent trade deal with a state in America, you have to go through Congress.😢

[@missjanecocaine]

Our National treasure. Thank you, thank you, thank you, James. ❤

[@shit__gamer]

He is complicit in crimes against humanity you cretin

[@gos4343]

🤦‍♂

[@MrRailjunkie]

Indeed he is

[@gos4343]

He’s an establishment stooge for goodness sake.@@MrRailjunkie

[@johnmurphy6241]

Wonderful!

[@catgladwell5684]

Well done for travelling standard, James. I hope you booked a seat.

[@TheLRider]

Hugely proud that coming from a very humble background that I've agreed with and been in step with him all the way since 2015/2016..I obtained my political education during the Thatcher years and could not believe how myopic Corbyn was to bat on the same side as Bunter.. I agree wholeheartedly with James's list of the people and his definition of the Eco system.. And as he said at the front of the interview he hopes to convert some of the less politically educated to his viewpoint and imo the truth. You are a brick made of the best materials in humanity. Huge thanks from the bottom of my heart..

[@lestrem11]

He also happens to be mentally ill, sadly……so good luck with that👍

[@TheLRider]

@@lestrem11 History will show otherwise dear friend just as we knew about Bunter'd lies and incompetence during the Covid Pandemic in early 2020..

[@lestrem11]

@@PeterHolland-mu7yn Better than being the disciple of a man who admits to mental health issues.🤪

[@user-cm4ml7ju7d]

Brexit did put the UK socially 40 years back.

[@acrodave9287]

The observation on 'non bias' involving the WTO representative having to have an oppositional view to provide 'non bias' puts me in mind of a similar situation that occurred to me before; in the uncomfortably near future, will any scientist discussing planetary physics in televised media have to have a Flat Earther to provide 'balance'? Will any interview with a NASA scientist have to include input from a Moon landing denier for the same reason? This way lies madness, but some would say that we're already there.

[@nickjones9867]

Jeremy corbyn is truly one of the only MPs I remember doing grassroots campaigning for remain. He campaigned on the ground, did rallys, and social media posts including videos and public endorsments of remain. he even appeared on the last leg to appeal to the casual viewing public in a way no other MP had even attempted. All other campaigning I saw was through the lense of the British media. Official broadcasts through the news outlets which was never going to reach or convince people already in doubt of the British establishment and client media. Bare in mind people who voted leave voted specifically to send a messsage to the establishment. This was also the period of time where the media wouldn't interview corbyn and would only publish ridiculous photoshopped pictures with pun headlines, and JOB himself would spend large portions of his talk show telling us how usless corbyn was.

[@Yossarian_Lives73]

Here here, JOB will subtly redefine his attacks on JC as everything he (JC) campaigned on now appears a no brainer and in some case have even been stolen by the Tory’s and Keiths light blue’s former Labour party

[@DisleyDavid]

The rest of us remember how vehemently he opposed membership of the EEC.

[@jeffsimon9594]

@@DisleyDavid Good for him

[@nickjones9867]

@@DisleyDavid that would be two different points in time though...

[@pietropes1322]

Corbyn was anti Europe as well tbh - it wasn't just some in the Tory party

[@dogglebird4430]

What the heck are "Windrush refugees"???? No such thing! The passengers on the Windrush came because they were given cheap fares by a commercial company and fancied moving to the UK on the off-chance they would be better off here.

[@garymelrose9727]

"In 1948 the British Nationality Act gave people from colonies the right to live and work in Britain. The government needed workers to help fill post-War labour shortages and rebuild the economy. Caribbean countries were also struggling economically and job vacancies in the UK offered an opportunity. Many of those who came became manual workers, drivers, cleaners, and nurses in the newly-established NHS. Britain, having lifted its head from the horrors of World War II, found itself with a serious labour shortage. These fine young West Indians (the term used at the time) were actively encouraged and indeed invited by the British Government to come to the UK and take up the overabundant job vacancies on offer that were not being filled." I would draw your attention to the use of 'needed', 'encouraged' and 'invited' - looks like it was a win/win until the 2010 and 2018 Home Office cock-ups. Also, the 'Windrush Generation' is a moniker given not only to the original 1,027 Windrush passengers, but to all of those taking the journey from Commonwealth countries until 1971 when the newly minted Immigration Act gave (should have given) them all the permanent right to live and work in the UK.

[@V4Now]

Well, yeah, they wgere a generation that grew up thinking Britain was the shining jewel of the world and many where poor serfs of the crown. Back then there was still strong british reverment and indoctrinated sense of "duty". They didn't just "fancy" anything.

[@dogglebird4430]

@@V4Now They came to the UK uninvited for a better life for themselves. They weren't doing us any favours. Whether or not the influx of such migration and at such levels has been a good thing for Britain is a moot point.

[@sassythesasquatch4425]

@@dogglebird4430maybe if the empire didnt rob others and looted their wealth, you wouldnt have anyone coming here because everyone else would have been well off even before the empire came tell them they can help when no such thing was needed.

[@dogglebird4430]

@@sassythesasquatch4425 The British Empire mostly raised people out of the Stone Age.

[@davybean8981]

Is this the most intelligent man in Britain today ?

[@frederickherring2284]

Lived most of my life in Aus, married a Brit, brought her back to the UK in 2014 to get to know her family again. It wasn't too bad, but since I've lived and worked here, in the north that is there is a obvious and notable decline happening steadily, slowly. and it is just getting worse and worse. No wonder they want to ban touchscreens in cars, the roads are so terribly bad that you can't keep youself steady enough to use the screen. I suppose those in the south all have their family money and wealth, And they have their privelige and networks. I have heard a few times, only the Tories can rule,They think it's their birthright and elite position of divine right to rule

[@TheTristanmarcus]

Funnily enough absurdity and nonsense were the currency of the first Soviet junta (brilliantly sent up by Mikhail Bulgakov in Master and Margerita). Not a surprise that absurdity and nonsense are a strong feature of this post-Soviet junta 😢 #makethetorieshistory

[@Martinbeef]

James is on our corner. When most of the Media is right wing, he shows a different way forward. When we give people jobs though votes, when they will be kind, not tell lies and actually help society go forward. However, more and more it’s seems that the American way seems to becoming more acceptable. People are corrupt, dishonest, and cruel. We shouldn’t give away power so easily in the future. Trust has been compromised. MP’s for example should never been allowed to work for anyone else whilst working as a Member of Parliament.

[@pietropes1322]

The main stream media in America is all 'Left' (Left by American standards) - they all favour the Dems - the only 'Right wing' mainstream media in America is Fox News who favour the Reps and even that is cable news, it's not on the normal US free TV. NBC, ABC, CBS news are all biased toward the Dems so the UK isn't really going that way at all tbh.

[@Bran9]

That's a shameful practice and definitely not on

[@AffectedArea]

"When most of the Media is right wing" lol such delusion.

[@MrRailjunkie]

@@AffectedArea Most of the media is right wing. To think otherwise is delusional.

[@JohnCrook-nf8wy]

Nick you are telling the truth which is so refreshing.

[@fenfen147]

superb

[@user-tu4rn8ui9u]

Love James. He was spot on.

[@tortoisemedia]

Thanks very much for watching!

[@user-op9bn5zm2q]

Not the enabling of boris getting elected surely

[@mrbaker7443]

JOB is 90% of the time wrong

[@MrRailjunkie]

@@mrbaker7443 Wrong about what exactly as a matter of fact?

[@gunndan23]

People often don't realise that the powerful want identity politics. They want you to identify as left or right, because the more angry you are at the other side the less focus you have on voting or believing that your life could Improve

[@zippymufo9765]

Yup.

[@50043211]

Thats some nonsense, you never read any books regarding the respective political ideologies, didnt you? You are politically illiterate. I will give you a little reminder what the three pillars of a democracy are which did not change since Athen started this whole endeavour 2.5k years ago. The citizens must always be the strongest class to keep the rich in check and alleviate the plight of the poor, the citizens must be well informed and the citizens must be engaged in the affairs of the state. The first pillar, so that a democracy can function in the first place, is already incompatible with right wing policies. So, GL with your claim that the powerful want you to identify as left or right. They want you to be in their camp (tyrannis or oligarchy), because that keeps them in charge. Thats not how a δημοκρατία works!

[@zippymufo9765]

@@50043211 You're totally clueless 😂😂😂 Or you're just too emotionally dependent upon your left wing identity to comprehend how identity politics have undermined your own supposed political beliefs. Look at the United States, where being "left wing" has been redefined through culture war and identity politics to focus on feminism/LGBT/race issues and completely ignore any kind of class politics that might unite people outside of those factions.

[@gunndan23]

@@zippymufo9765 You have proved my point entirely by assuming I'm left wing. I'm neither, I vote for the manifesto that helps my life the best

[@therealrobertbirchall]

​@50043211 and if the populace is kept in ignorance about the real facts behind any issue and are fed lies democracy canot work. Eg the Brexshit referendum representative democracy needs an informed and educated population, even the ancient Greeks understood this.

[@davidbaxter4910]

ABSOLUTEMENT.

[@Britonbear]

People do change so what they were as students is not always relevent. I was quite right-wing as a young man but over the years I have moved further and further to the left.

[@pd1323]

Phil from a Different Bias is also a genius

[@BoltFinnikenOfficial]

I need both him and James to have a good hour long chat. I'd love to hear how they get along and talk abt politics

[@malthusXIII-fo3ep]

He's a left-wing nut case.

[@yorkiegilly4355]

@pd1323 = That"s only two of the Marx Brothers ,the other one is in Highgate Cemetery ! . A fast talking snake oil salesman - yes a Genius no ?.

[@kitcole4927]

I have tried to discuss the negative effects of Brexit with those I know voted for it. They won't admit it was folly and refuse to discuss it !

[@twistedsteeltv6130]

I find often they're either embarrassed to admit they were wrong or have made it part of their identity and by admitting Brexit was a bad decision undermines their view of themselves. I think we should be open to changing our opinions and views based on data, history and the reality of a situation. It's kind of foolish to not.

[@Shutityou]

Please remember folks that this comment section is an echo chamber. Try and see things from the other side to gain a more accurate and realistic view of things.

[@twistedsteeltv6130]

@@Shutityou I've been fair in my own analysis on Brexit and I don't see anything positive about it. If there are some please feel free to elaborate.

[@garygalt4146]

@@ShutityouI have name something good the wealthy still able to hide their money offshore. That was brexit. the EU where stopping that so that you paid your tax where you earned. This was all about MOGG loaning himself 6million from his offshore money and pays no tax. How’s that for your echo chamber. The tabloid lies and scares people into believing fears they write are real. To give the rich more power. They take away our freedom of movement and say it’s great. now they want to take workers rights and human rights. Wake up.

[@lynnoorman2144]

When discussing why Brexit has failed us so miserably with those who voted for it, I always refer to the extensive PR campaign and the lies that the public were told such as the figures on the side of the red bus and the demonising of migrant workers needed to endure the bad conditions in order to harvest our food ( I live in a rural area and not having enough field workers is a hot topic!). Then these folk can admit that they were decived and are able to debate, without feeling judged.

[@aesopstortoise]

Did anyone else notice the reference to "Windrush refugees"? What a bizarre way of framing that situation.

[@michaelmouse4024]

JO is so good.

[@user-is3pb4hb5h]

Take it easy James, what ever comes out in the wash we know that the water was filthy in the first place suntreader 55

[@annemoncrieff3875]

Well little english water is filthy.

[@Drinckx2]

Very interesting and combative, intelligent debate. Great stuff!

[@youtubeyoutube936]

Ref Brexit As a citizen of a EU country can I say I find JOB absolutely nauseating

[@ianbardon8581]

😂