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The Trump regime is simultaneously ridiculous and disgusting| James O’Brien - The Whole Show
Apr 30, 2026
This is a catch-up version of James O'Brien's live, daily show on LBC Radio from the 29th of April 2026. 00:00 – What do you make of the King’s state visit? 01:36:57 – PMQ’s – Aggie Chambre 02:12:56 – Golder’s Green Stabbings – Niel Basu, Co-Host of The Crime Agents #jamesobrien #donaldtrump #LBC LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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0:00
Three minutes after ten is the time you are listening to James O'Brien on LBC
0:06
Somebody in the King's retinue deserves a pay rise. This is a beautiful, this is almost a poem, isn't it
0:13
This diplomatic comment in response to Trump's nonsense about the King agreeing with him regarding Iran
0:19
A spokesman from Buckingham Palace, or a spokesman for the King, said, The King is naturally mindful of his government's long-standing and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation
0:30
Donald Trump this morning has already posted a picture of himself in sunglasses
0:35
under the title, No More Mr. Nice Guy. I'll share the detail of the text with that picture with you shortly
0:42
but it is evidence that we weren't exactly dealing with what you might call
0:46
a sensible or stable individual. Iran can't get their act together, he wrote
0:52
They don't know how to sign a non-nuclear deal. Barack Obama would have something to say about that
0:58
Because, of course, they signed one when he was president, but Donald Trump elected to tear it up
1:03
and is now complaining that they won't sign something which will be almost, by definition, inferior
1:08
They better get smart soon! President DJT. And there is a photograph of him behind a sort of bombed landscape
1:18
wearing sunglasses and touting an AK-47. Well, I don't know if it's an AK-47
1:23
You just say AK-47, don't you? Because it probably is an AK-47. and I'll get 10 texts now saying, actually, I think you'll find it's a collection of an AK-47 assault rifle
1:33
You know, there is a problem in the United States of America with guns and the ease with which they're accessed
1:39
as was demonstrated on Saturday night in Washington. But, of course, when you've got the president glamorizing them
1:45
it suggests that they're unlikely to get their act together on that front anytime soon
1:50
Glamorizing violence as well, of course, not just the use of guns. So, what was the other one
1:56
There's another one as well that was in... Oh, the White House posted a picture of Donald Trump with King Charles
2:01
under the headline, Two Kings. I mean, and, and... Yesterday, I saw a photograph
2:09
Can you guess which one it was? Something posted from the Donald Trump regime
2:14
and I looked at it, and I thought, oh, no, this one is a fake. This one has been doctored
2:18
This one is a, you know, a joke, a hoax, a parody
2:23
This one can't possibly be real, but it was real. somebody called Kid Rock
2:27
who was sort of briefly a rock star, a successful rock star
2:32
addressing, and you might want to sit down for the next two words that I'm going to say to you
2:36
someone called Kid Rock addressing the Pentagon the Pentagon I mean, what was that
2:46
That would be the equivalent of what? I don't even know Justin Hawkins out of the darkness
2:51
popping into the Ministry of Defence to run through tactical operations in the Strait of Hormuz
2:57
And that's not fair on Justin Hawkins out of the darkness. He always struck me as a really lovely bloke
3:03
But also, he'd have the wit and the modesty, I presume, to say, I think you might have phoned the wrong guy
3:09
I don't know that I am qualified to turn up at the actual Pentagon and start lecturing military leaders on anything, really
3:17
unless some of them are seeking to become second-rate rock stars, in which case I could probably give them a few pointers
3:22
but they look a little bit old, frankly, to be embarking upon a new career like that. Well, who might accept that invitation
3:28
in the sort of annals of faded British rock royalty? Who might actually say
3:34
yes, I'm just the man you need. I can think of a few former footballers
3:38
but former rock stars who might actually say, yes, of course I'll pop by us, I'll squeeze you in
3:43
Can I squeeze you in at four o'clock on Tuesday? I'm in town anyway. I'll pop into the Ministry of Defence
3:47
to give some tactical lectures to your top brass. So that comes third
3:55
In the space of 24 hours, the idea of a ridiculous former rock star
4:00
addressing the actual Pentagon is the third daftest image to emerge from that regime
4:09
You can choose between the daft... Well, the daft isn't even strong enough. We're the most ridiculous, the most troubling
4:16
No more Mr Nice Guy. Donald Trump touting a machine gun. complaining that Iran won't sign a nuclear deal
4:23
when everybody knows that they did. And then you've got the two kings
4:28
I'm not American. Spoiler alert. If anyone is labouring under the illusion that I am
4:33
then you now know that I'm not Chico. You're just sending me faded rock stars now
4:39
and asking me to imagine them turning up at the Ministry of Defence
4:43
to deliver a speech on tactics. I don't think Morrissey would expect..
4:47
Oh, well played. James Blunt. James Blunt could. James Watt literally could
4:51
provide a few pointers on matters military to some people actually involved
4:56
in such matters but yeah, given the state of this country, it'll probably be right
5:00
said Fred soon, but anyway you look at these three little events and you
5:08
are reminded of the what is the word for something that is simultaneously
5:13
ridiculous and disgusting because sometimes the ridiculousness dilutes the disgustingness, doesn't it
5:20
I don't know what the word would be. I don't know how you would describe that. Or indeed how I would describe it
5:25
The idea that you find something... I mean, it's laughable until you remember
5:29
how serious it is. You know, this is a man who boasts about how delighted
5:33
he is that people have died, and who insults the dead, or who
5:37
wishes death upon his political enemies, and then pretends that other people
5:41
have done the same to him, and insists that they get sacked by their television station, or
5:45
get indicted. We'll go on to James. Hey, hey, hey, what is the relationship between Mystery Hour
5:51
and the indictment of the former, was he the former FBI chief or of James Comey anyway
5:57
One of the sort of top thorns. He wasn't even a particularly sharp thorn in Donald Trump's side
6:02
but one of the people against him, he nurses enormous resentment. What is the relationship between the former head of the FBI, James Comey
6:12
and Mystery Hour and the events of the last 24 hours? That's not even a hook and tease
6:17
You probably know it already. My Blue Sky account was pinging. Who'd have thought, you said to me
6:22
who'd have thought that Mystery Hour would provide me with a helpful insight into the latest madness
6:26
to emerge from Donald Trump's White House? But there it is. Mystery Hour, truly, and it'll be back tomorrow at 12
6:32
sometimes we pause it for the news. We postpone it or cancel it if the news is really big
6:36
But now that Mystery Hour is actually equipping us with the knowledge that we need to understand
6:40
the latest madness coming out of the White House, maybe we should be doing more Mystery Hours in order to come to a better understanding
6:46
of the latest madnesses coming out of the White House. So Mystery Hour will be with us at 12. And it involves the meaning of the phrase 86
6:54
which we discovered last Thursday, but which apparently the White House is determined to pretend
6:59
they don't actually understand the meaning of. I said rock stars, not the wife of dead rock stars
7:07
recently dead rock stars, so unfortunately she doesn't get onto the team sheet for this question
7:12
although she would otherwise be a plausible suggestion. 10 minutes after 10 is the time so these madnesses reminders that the king was making his way into
7:22
and this is where i was struggling to find the right word because you want to say a viper nest or a rat nest but that doesn accommodate the ridiculousness that only accommodates the depravity the moral bankruptcy it doesn accommodate the absurdity of it
7:36
The best thing you can do with these people is laugh at them, but then they arrest you
7:42
That is reminiscent of an ideology that begins with F. It's actually quite a good phrase, that, isn't it
7:49
The best thing you can do is laugh at these people, and that is why they arrest you
7:53
or they seek to get you cancelled. Jimmy Kimmel, the late-night talk show host
7:58
for a perfectly innocuous and not brilliant joke, now facing all sorts of calls
8:03
from the most powerful man in the planet for silencing and cancelling
8:09
And James Comey, the former head of the FBI, being indicted for the most ridiculous of reasons
8:15
If you laugh at them, they hate you even more than they do if you criticise them
8:21
Isn't that funny? It's one of those old adages, isn't it? The best thing you can do with these people is laugh
8:25
But it's very hard to laugh when they arrest you or threaten you with professional oblivion if you leave the laughter
8:36
So that's the reminder, and you can help me out with those words, that idea of something that is hideous but also hilarious
8:45
I've never stumbled into that before, something that's hilarious and hideous at the same time
8:51
Is that what tragicomic means? I don't think it is, is it? It's not really what tragicomic means
8:55
You know what I'm talking about. You look at this picture of him, in his, nearly swore then
8:59
in his shades with a machine gun, and you just think that is so pathetic
9:04
That is the most beater male, to coin a phrase that's popular on the internet
9:08
And look at me, I'm so tough. You know that he couldn't punch his way out of a wet paper bag
9:13
He couldn't knock the skin off the rice pudding. But he poses, or he loves these images of him
9:19
that sort of cast him as Rambo or as some sort of tough guy
9:24
He dodged the draft of Vietnam five times. He's got the courage of a bowl of cornflakes
9:31
But somehow, as with all deeply narcissistic weird men, he's desperate to believe that he's tough
9:36
and people surrounding him are desperate to pretend that he is too
9:40
So it is hilarious, right? It is objectively hilarious. But it's also hideous because Iran signed a non-nuclear deal
9:48
with Barack Obama's administration, and Donald Trump ripped it up. So the assault upon truth is absolutely clear
9:56
10.13 is the time. So, what do we think of the king
10:03
I had a caller yesterday, I don't know if you were listening. If you weren't, I want a letter from your mum by the end of break today
10:10
explaining why. I had a call yesterday, and I said to him, because the first thing he said when he came on was
10:15
I feel, and I thought, I've called it wrong, because I very nearly came on air yesterday and said
10:20
how do you feel about all this? How do you actually feel about all this? This visit from Prince Charles, King Charles even
10:27
I just demoted him. Then my apologies, Your Highness. And the reason why I didn't do it yesterday
10:33
was because it hadn't happened yet. Do you see what I mean? It hadn't actually happened and settled
10:38
We hadn't had the images, the footage. We'd had the handshake. We'd had this bizarre moment when he appeared
10:43
to try to impose himself on the king by doing a handshake. but you know what his handshake will be like
10:50
And that's why I didn't ask you yesterday how you feel about it all
10:56
You can guess what's coming next. So I think I'll ask you today
10:59
because I really want to feel upbeat about this. As someone who wants the best for his country
11:06
I really want to feel upbeat about this. I kind of have this weird little
11:11
inner voice almost that still thinks it's worth trying to appease this toddler
11:20
it's worth trying to keep him sweet, it's worth trying to keep him on side, and yet this is the same person, me
11:25
who has spent the best part of a year explaining to you where it's a complete waste of time
11:30
We're building a new dictionary today. What's the word for that? Is that cognitive dissonance
11:35
Is that when you hold two thoughts in your head at the same time? There is absolutely no point
11:39
in trying to appease this prune. but it's very important that we try to appease this prune
11:46
there we go, we got there in the end that is kind of where I am I don't know why
11:51
I don't know how you detach yourself from that when we described him accurately some time ago now
11:57
as a deranged liar everything slotted into place it makes life much easier
12:03
but then when these moments come around you kind of feel yourself slipping back
12:10
from that confidence and that certainty and falling once again into the sort of naive, rose-tinted hope
12:18
that the king has done some excellent work. He's poured oil on very choppy waters
12:25
Why is this? Is this some sort of psychological conditioning? We can never fully accept the bleakness of a situation
12:31
We have to cling on to hope. Like that brilliant line in Clockwise, the John Cleese film
12:37
It's not the despair that gets you. I can deal with the despair. It's the hope. You can never completely give up her
12:44
It's worth trying to keep this character sweet. Normality can be restored
12:50
Decency can be brought back. And yet you know it can't. Within minutes, before I even sort of decided what we were going to talk about on air
13:02
that picture is posted of him with a machine gun. It's pathetic, right
13:08
But it's also significant. And the two kings thing, I'm not American
13:12
Sorry, I got distracted by my monologue. I'm not American. So I don't know how offensive that is
13:18
They're celebrating the 250th anniversary of the successful defenestration of the king
13:22
They got rid of him. That's what they're celebrating. American independence, no more kings
13:28
is a phrase that runs through some forms of American political consciousness
13:33
like the word Blackpool runs through a stick of rock. No more kings
13:37
and yet they post a picture from the White House of Donald Trump with an actual king
13:43
under the phrase two kings and I don't know what that does, what that means I don't know how significant it is
13:47
I don't know what it upsets, which apple cart it upends but it is just yet more evidence of that word
13:53
that I don't think exists the word that describes something that is simultaneously hilarious and hideous Hidarius
14:02
Hilius? Hildarius? Ah, dear. So that's what I'm going to ask you
14:10
I think the King's done well. I'll play you some little clips after this, and then you can tell me what you think
14:16
What are we going to do together today, do you think? Are we going to kind of collude in a mass delusion
14:24
Are we going to collude in an exercise in pointless optimism? We're going to sit here telling each other
14:30
that it's all gone very well, and I'm very proud, and good for the King. And we're just going to ignore the fact that within 24 hours
14:35
Donald Trump would have defecated all over any goodwill or any decency that has been
14:40
established as a consequence of this visit? Or are we actually going to find some scintillae of hope and optimism to cling to
14:50
Three thoughts, right? The king and his people especially the person who wrote that statement his diplomatic master class in amelioration the king is natural because Trump is lying there no earthly way that King Charles has said yes I completely agree with you Donald Trump you know that I know that he knows that everyone knows that they can say that because it would involve calling the US President a liar
15:13
So instead they release this. This makes me proud to be British. The king is naturally mindful of his government's long-standing
15:21
and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation. It's a chuffing masterclass, that, isn't it
15:27
It's basically saying the president, his pants are aflame. He is a big fat liar, but we can't possibly say that
15:36
so we will instead say the king is naturally mindful of his government's long-standing and well-known position
15:40
on the prevention of nuclear proliferation. So the king and his people have played an absolute blinder
15:45
Keir Starmer got it completely right. It was worth sending him, he says
15:49
clinging desperately to the fraying scintilla of hope. Is it scintilla or scintilla, Keith
15:58
What would be the plural of scintilla? Scintillas? Thank you. Keith says yes
16:03
Clinging to the fraying scintilla of hope that we can return to some sort of semblance
16:08
of sanity or stability or decency, never mind any sort of special relationship
16:14
and knowing even as I say the words and ask you the question that I'm indulging in a collective delusion
16:20
that Donald Trump will now behave differently from how he has behaved for his entire life
16:26
even before the suspected dementia kicked in. He will now behave with decorum and modesty
16:32
and treat the United Kingdom with the respect that it so obviously deserves
16:37
But I can't shake the good feelings. I'm glad he went I'm glad he went
16:43
he's done a cracking job and it might have achieved something all of which
16:52
as questions I invite you now to answer but under I guess the general heading
16:56
for once we don't do this very often but when we're looking like squarely at something
17:01
very specific and current we can simply say how does this make you feel
17:06
I watched the king don't laugh at me I watched the King, I listened to the speech
17:12
I felt proud did you? James O'Brien on LBC It is 22 minutes after 10
17:24
and I mean listen within the parameters of diplomacy so beautifully demonstrated by that quote
17:30
I shared with you a moment ago from the palace within the parameters of diplomacy
17:35
I think King Charles gave Donald Trump a bit of a kicking during his speech to Congress
17:40
You know that they have to sometimes speak in code. Sometimes they have to dress in code
17:44
as his late mother did after the ludicrous Brexit referendum when she wore a hat that was designed
17:49
to demonstrate solidarity with the European Union. That is all they can do sometimes
17:55
But again, King Charles and his speechwriters, they knocked it out of the park
18:00
In fact, do you know what I'm going to do before I play you a clip? I'm going to read you a little message from a friend of mine
18:05
who I used to work with in Norwich of all places, but who is now based in the United States
18:10
And obviously he won't hear me reading this out live because he'll be fast asleep
18:16
Here we go. I don't know what your topics will be today, but I was with you that maybe the king should not go to America
18:24
But to coin an American phrase, I think the old boy knocked it out of the park. It's playing very well here
18:28
and in my humble opinion, Starmer made the right call. It won't last, as we know
18:34
and he posits the notion that Trump has dementia, but the UK comes out of this news cycle on top
18:39
and that's all we can hope for with this administration. And then he suggests we meet for a pint
18:44
when the cost of jet fuel has come down and he's able to fly back for the United Kingdom
18:49
And it tallies with me, I feel a little bit proud and then I sort of hate myself for feeling proud
18:54
and I'm not quite sure why. Is it because I know, as my friend attests there, that it'll all disappear in the wash
18:59
It'll all, like so much sand in a hand, it'll all run through our fingers and there'll be nothing left
19:05
possibly by the end of the week. Anyway, you know that the Trump regime
19:09
has attempted to demonise and demigrate diversity because they are white supremacists
19:14
It runs through their ideology like DNA. And here is King Charles obliquely
19:22
that's one of my favourite words, you know, here is King Charles obliquely addressing
19:26
the attempted denigration of diversity and the coded white supremacism that popped up actually in one of Donald Trump's speeches yesterday
19:34
So here it is. Distinguished members of the 119th Congress, it is here in these very halls
19:42
that this spirit of liberty and the promise of America's founders is present in every session and every vote cast
19:52
Not by the will of one, but by the deliberation of many
19:56
representing the living mosaic of the United States. In both of our countries
20:04
It is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that so tragically exist in both our societies today
20:22
This says a lot there, if you were to unpack it, but you could distill it down to diversity is our strength
20:28
And then, of course, NATO and Ukraine, both of which have been denigrated by the man-child
20:33
The leader of Ukraine denigrated in the Oval Office itself. Again, a statement every time I say it
20:40
There's a little bit of me that pinches myself. Did I really imagine that
20:45
But, of course, I didn't, and nor did you. It's the people who still cling to the carcass of Donald Trump
20:49
being anything other than a deranged, depraved liar who should be giving their heads a wobble and pinching themselves
20:54
not the rest of us. Here is King Charles turning his regal attention to NATO and the necessity of defending Ukraine from the illegal attacks of the politician that Nigel Farage admires most in the world
21:08
In the immediate aftermath of 9-11, when NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time, and the United Nations Security Council was united in the face of terror
21:21
we answered the call together, as our people have done so for more than a century
21:27
shoulder to shoulder, through two world wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan, and moments that have defined our shared security
21:37
Today, Mr. Speaker, that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defence of Ukraine
21:44
and her most courageous people. so he's taken a swing at domestic policy and the attempts to denigrate diversity
21:54
equality and inclusion he's taken a swing at foreign policy and the attempts to denigrate
21:58
nato and um the defense of ukraine i wonder whether he was able to find the correct words
22:05
to essentially take a swing at donald trump's increasingly autocratic tendencies And those roots go even further back in history. The US Supreme Court Historical Society has
22:19
calculated that Magna Carta is cited in at least 160 Supreme Court cases since 1789 not least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances
22:39
Of course, Donald Trump does not believe that his executive power should be subject to any checks and balances
22:44
I mean, he categorically and literally doesn't. That's not an opinion, that's counting. In fact, what King Charles just said about Magna Carta wasn't an opinion, it was counting
22:52
I'm surprised he didn't slip that little catchphrase in at the end of the segment
22:57
But Trump has made it crystal clear, so have his sycophants and cronies, that he should not be subject to checks and balances
23:03
He'd quite possibly be in jail if he hadn't won the last election
23:06
as a consequence of the impeachment for inciting the riots, the murderous riots that were unleashed on the Capitol
23:14
So he did, he took a swing at domestic policy, the kind of coded white supremacism that runs through Donald Trump's regime
23:21
like Blackpool through a stick of rock. He took a swing at their foreign policy, Ukraine and NATO, most obviously
23:27
and he took a swing at the domestic antics of the toddler king
23:31
by pointing out that they are supposed to be subject to checks and balances
23:36
You could throw into the mix, and I think he did, the independence of the judiciary, something that Donald Trump detests and despises
23:42
and the sort of role of evidence and expertise. So, I put it to you cautiously
23:51
that His Majesty played an absolute blinder. He knocked it out of the park
23:56
And even if Donald Trump defecates all over the goodwill generated or the warm feelings generated
24:02
it was still worth doing. Because I'm going to say something now that I might regret
24:07
and that you might laugh at. I've already said that that made me proud
24:11
and I appreciate that the King is a representative of a deeply unequal system
24:16
but these things matter. Even if you are screaming into an empty void, they still matter
24:27
Even if you are the only one left clinging to the truth, the truth still matters
24:34
NATO is crucial to our security. Ukraine is utterly and entirely deserving of our support against the illegal attentions of a politician that Donald Trump has never done anything to upset
24:48
the checks and balances upon the executive are crucial to the very survival of democracy itself
24:56
and the idea that only people that look like donald trump or only people who are part of his
25:03
world view should be allowed anywhere near the reins of power that diversity that equality that
25:09
inclusion are dirty words or negatives or reversals of the natural order to stand against that
25:15
is to stand for humanity itself. So, I wasn't expecting to have a particularly emotional reaction
25:22
to that speech, but he said things that needed to be said
25:27
regardless of whether they are heeded by the person he was talking to and talking about
25:34
Because when everybody else is lying and you tell the truth, even if you are the only one
25:43
as George Orwell taught us, you will not go mad. And King Charles smashed it yesterday
25:48
and I'm not sure I've ever been prouder of a monarch. What about you
25:53
0345 6060 973. Lottie Morley has your headlines. James O'Brien on LBC
26:00
Of course, we mustn't forget that the King was doing the Prime Minister's bidding
26:04
and that pretty much every syllable of that speech would have been approved, if not constructed, by Downing Street
26:11
And that is important as well, because Keir Starmer doesn't have the opportunity to tell the King home truths
26:19
because, I beg your pardon, to tell Donald Trump home truths, because Donald Trump will turn around and insult him
26:24
This is the key, isn't it? This is the bit that we missed earlier in the week. Oh, we didn't miss it, because we didn't know what the King was going to do
26:30
We were too busy worrying about what Donald Trump was going to do in front of the world's television cameras, until we discovered that they were so worried about what Donald Trump was going to do in front of the world's television cameras
26:38
that they conducted their private conversations away from the world's television cameras. and breathe
26:43
But the bit we missed was he can't insult the king. That's him
26:48
Other people can. You can if you want. You've got free speech in this country. You can insult the king if you want to
26:54
But he can't. He won't. He's got this weird psychodrama involving his mother's
26:59
a Scottish mother's affection for the royal family. He's got this weird narcissistic desire
27:03
to be seen as on the same plane as her late majesty and his current majesty
27:08
He won't insult the king. that's why he got sent that's why starmer sent him he can say those things and we've only touched
27:14
on it he can attack domestic policy foreign policy and donald trump's personal behavior
27:19
without being caught well he's no churchill what would he say he's not exactly his mother is he he's
27:24
not going to insult the king i shouldn't be saying this out loud should i because you're just starting
27:28
a clock on him starting to insult the king he can lie about the king claiming that he agrees with
27:33
him about iran when the diplomatic truth is rather different and more nuanced but he can't insult the
27:40
king so the king got to do it and he did not pull his punches albeit that his iron fist was cloaked
27:45
in a velvet glove he landed some that was worth it and i'll read you a quick message from beatrice
27:51
because you might be wondering whether this is a phone-in show or not then it'll be reinhardt and
27:54
then it'll be dave and then of course it could be you have you never felt right beatrice have you
27:59
never felt proud of doing something for the sake of it, for the ethics of it, even though it didn't
28:06
bring you praise, money or other massive rewards, but you knew it was the right thing to do
28:13
That's what Charles has done. His duty as head of state is the best ability he, with support from
28:20
our government, can do. Made me think of Thomas More then, for some reason, Beatrice, and people
28:26
who will just do what is right, even when it causes them pain, let alone when it causes or delivers them
28:31
no personal benefit. Charles could have delivered a much more anodyne speech
28:36
I presume. I don't think that the Prime Minister can sort of frog march him into Congress
28:41
and insist that he reads from the prepared script. But he did it
28:46
And I've, honestly, until you disabuse me of my warm patriotic glow
28:52
I don't think I've ever been prouder. Reinhardt is in Chesham. Reinhardt, what would you like to say
28:57
Well, yeah, the king, the old boy, he's one month older than me
29:02
So there we are. Yeah, I mean, I'm certainly not a monarch, a monarchist in any way, shape or form
29:11
But I was so touched by his speech, tearfully touched. Gosh. It was a statesman-like speech
29:18
It was a speech like JFK could have given or something like that
29:26
See, he was addressing the American people. He was addressing the American heart, the American soul
29:35
He was talking beyond, above, below Trump. He was kind of ignoring Trump and addressing the soul of the people directly
29:46
It was a kind of speech that Americans these days hardly hear, certainly not on the news or in the media, but they used to hear
30:00
those speeches, because in American schools they learn about speeches and stuff like that
30:06
I mean, I did when I was an exchange student many, many years ago
30:10
And that was so skillful, that was so brilliant, and yeah, it was great
30:19
I like the fact that you qualify this by saying you're not a monarchist particularly, because this is more important than the monarchy
30:25
This is simply about who is able to stand firm against the deluge of depravity that Donald Trump represents
30:34
Who is able to stand firm without fear of being washed away
30:38
And the king is in a very small club, isn't he? Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And that's where the monarchy has value
30:47
I think you're right. I mean, the queen would have not done that. The queen wouldn't have given a speech like that
30:52
I don't know. I mean, I don't have a cultural memory of her in her younger days
30:59
I only really have an image of the Queen in the last 20 years of her life
31:03
And we weren't really watching in the way that we watch now
31:08
But I don't know. I mean, I don't think we need to say that the Queen wouldn't have done it
31:12
We can just focus on the fact that the King did. And what do you say to the people who will be laughing at us
31:18
And I'm going to cautiously suggest that the people laughing at you and me now haven't actually listened to the speech
31:23
They haven't actually taken the time to... But what do you say to the people who say
31:28
this is all ridiculous, it won't change anything? Because we're all so used to hearing, playing games
31:37
Politics has become about playing games. The King's speech showed that politics can also be about addressing values
31:48
and that is something that's getting lost. You're absolutely right. And he reminded us of a value-based politics
32:00
and that's a big thing. Which is weird given that, you know
32:04
he is, as you alluded to at the beginning of your contribution, he is a representative of an old order
32:12
albeit that he's, you know, not the wielder of any meaningful power
32:17
He's still the head of state and that is not a democratic position that he holds
32:21
And yet you're right, those values that he spoke of have been completely clouded and polluted and even destroyed
32:29
And he just stood there and that's why it's important. Even if Donald Trump, before the end of this program
32:34
does something else disgusting and depraved, insults our war dead, insults our prime minister
32:39
even if he steps up to the unlikely heights of insulting our king
32:44
it's important that the king did this. I wonder whether sometimes we forget that the real, real points of principle, the real moments that matter are the ones that don't have any payoff or reward
32:58
The ones that aren't actually going to change the dial or swing the pendulum in the moment that you deliver it
33:02
They're just reminders of the importance of the field, the rules of engagement by which we all live
33:11
10.41 is the time. Just an example of what I was alluding to
33:15
This is from Kevin, and this is not Idiot's Corner Territory at all. It's a perfectly feasible response
33:19
I knew certain LBC presenters would go all week at the knees about King Charles' speech
33:23
but I'm surprised to hear you repeat the same old BS. I mean, challenge what you've heard, Kevin
33:27
I don't think you can have been paying much attention to the speech if that is your immediate reaction
33:33
Even if you're a fully paid-up Republican, you have to represent... In fact, especially if you're a fully paid-up Republican, with a small R
33:42
You have to recognise the importance of checks and balances on the executive
33:47
You have to recognise the importance of NATO and defending Ukraine. You have to recognise the importance of fighting racism and discrimination
33:58
And King Charles is the only person that has reminded Donald Trump
34:02
of the importance of those three things in a very public and very clear fashion
34:07
for a very long time. If you don't like that because you don't like the king
34:11
or you don't like that because you don't like the monarchy, then you're letting your dislike of an institution
34:16
pollute your principles when it comes to checks and balances on the executive
34:23
the importance of resisting fascism and dictatorship across Europe and indeed the world
34:29
and the horrific nature of discrimination and racism. You're literally allowing your prejudices
34:36
regarding the king or the royal family to blind you to the importance
34:41
and I would say the beauty of the values that Reinhardt just reminded us
34:45
were in desperate need of reiterating. Dave is in Shepherd's Bush. Dave, what do you reckon
34:52
Hello, my friend. Hello, Dave. Just a couple of things. I was..
34:56
So I'm not for the royal family and I'm not against the royal family
35:00
but I was most certainly against the king going to do this visit America
35:05
I thought it was a terrible, terrible idea. I think I... Well, I did as well
35:08
I can't pretend I didn't. I said so, didn't I, on the radio? Yeah, I was close to calling in, but sometimes your phone lines are a little bit busy
35:16
This is true. I've listened to the speech today. I'm going to be listening to it again
35:21
And I think it was one of the best speeches I've ever heard. I think it was fantastic
35:26
I think it was funny. Whoever wrote it or what team wrote it, because you have a king
35:31
You have what I would deem to be a highly educated man speaking so well
35:36
And he was laughing at Donald Trump. I mean, just even just one of the takeaways. when he says, my dear old friend
35:42
you mentioned we would have all been speaking German, but you would have all been speaking French
35:47
And Donald Trump, in my view, he won't even realize that the world was laughing at him
35:54
No one around him will be brave enough to tell him that that speech was a masterclass
35:58
and made you look like an idiot. They won't be able to tell him that. And that man doesn't realize of the speech, the integrity
36:07
And I personally think the comedy value of that speech that he gave, he carried it out well
36:12
Because not only we spoke about it before regarding people in this country in a position of power
36:17
when you speak with that accent and you speak with that authority, like me and you do on a regular basis
36:23
people listen to us. People believe it. Even if it's not believed, they listen
36:29
They're listening to a king. There are so many people in America who will hear a king speaking and will take in what he says
36:35
some people it will go over their heads, but I will take back my position at the beginning
36:39
of the week, I was totally wrong, and I'm so glad that
36:44
he went, but the way he conducted himself, and that speech, honestly
36:47
because if you just very quickly, tie in something else you were talking about during the week, if you look
36:51
at Trump in 60 minutes, when he's doing that interview, and the interviewee
36:55
asks him, didn't mention it's him says about the manifesto, he looks
36:59
at the woman, looks at the rage in his face of somebody even questioning him on anything
37:07
He looked at the camera and he thought, I don't care. And he calls her disgusting and vile
37:11
He won't be able to do that to the king. But he actually, honestly, he will not be aware
37:15
of how that speech will be taken globally. He's not educated enough
37:22
I do think it will turn a little bit. Of course it will It will be against the UK But I don think he will be able to be as nasty to the king as he would be to another political figure But it doesn matter now because you got that speech
37:36
It's such a fascinating point, isn't it? Because what we've done, and what Starmer has done, although I doubt he'll get much credit for it
37:42
beyond the walls of this studio, probably, in the context of the UK media
37:46
but what Starmer has done is recognised the capital, if you like, the cultural capital that King Charles has
37:51
in the court of Donald Trump. That cultural capital is probably, crossed fingers, touch wood
37:58
something that will insulate him from the kind of hideous personal attacks
38:02
that Trump will inflict on anybody else, from the president of Ukraine right through to the prime minister of the United Kingdom
38:07
It's just people like Vladimir Putin that won't ever be on the wrong end of his childish attacks and childish insults
38:14
So they carry that, and that's quite a big ask of Charles. That is saying, you've got this cultural capital
38:20
and now we need you to use it as leverage in the United States of America
38:24
But that's what the king is for. You know, the cultural capital is not something that he has achieved
38:29
It's something that has been bestowed upon him by hundreds of years of history in this country
38:34
and hundreds of years of royalty. And that cultural capital, whether you like it or not
38:38
a bit like fancy accents demanding more attention, whether you like it or not, it's a matter of fact
38:44
And he took that cultural capital to the White House and he cashed it. As one might say, by Joe, didn't he carry it off well
38:53
Stay safe, Dave. It's 10.46. James O'Brien on LBC. It's 10 to 11, and it's funny
39:00
I hope you don't mind me confiding in you occasionally about things like this, but some mornings, just before I come on air
39:05
I find myself thinking, oh, why do we bother? Why do we even bother? We're never, ever going to keep up with it
39:11
The depravity, the abandonment of decency and normality, the abandonment of values
39:17
And I can sometimes carry that feeling almost into the studio. And then I come on air and I start talking from the heart, as you know, every day
39:26
And by the time I get to the end of my interminable monologue, I can feel my dander rising again
39:32
My reminder that this is important. My reminder that if you can hold on to the truth, even against the whole world, you will not go mad
39:41
And by the time I get to the end of the monologue, I remember why I come to work every day
39:45
But I still sometimes feel overwhelmed by events. Like, for example, did you know that he is now launching a passport with his mug on it
39:56
Did you know that? An American passport commemorating the 250th anniversary of independence
40:02
will feature the face of a draft dodger. You see what I mean about feeling overwhelmed
40:09
And of course, every time you look under a rock with Trump's mug on it, you find 500 more rocks with Trump's mug on it
40:14
because under that rock you are reminded of the fact that he also wants a commemorative gold coin featuring his mug
40:21
marking 250th anniversary of the War of Independence. He also is set to become the first sitting US president to have his signature on US banknotes
40:32
Another rock, he wants the, or has insisted that the board of the Kennedy Center put in place by him
40:37
rename the Performing Arts Center the Trump-Kennedy Center, a decision denounced by the members of the late President John F. Kennedy's family
40:47
We know that he wants to build an ark or an arch to commemorate himself
40:52
a gold-accented giant victory arch. When that was being done in sort of former Soviet states
40:58
where people were going kind of latter-day Caligula and building palaces in honour of their horse or their mother-in-law
41:04
we used to laugh about it, right? We used to think that's ridiculous. They're doing it right now, plain sight
41:09
United States of America, the Arc de Trump, a draft dodger, celebrating what
41:16
On a coin, on a passport, on an art centre, on an arch, and that's just off the top of my head
41:23
Who else knows what the heck would be going on? And of course they're now being sued by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
41:29
the people who actually care about heritage, the people who actually care about history
41:33
because of his ludicrous actions with regard to the ballroom. although not in this bit of the speech
41:41
Here is, because I reminded you a moment ago about the importance of diversity, the things that are worth standing for
41:47
even as it sometimes feels the whole world is standing against them. The United States regime is very much on board
41:53
with the attempts to both demonise Muslims, eat peaceful, law-abiding Muslims, and to somehow portray the United Kingdom
42:01
as having been overtaken by Shakira Law and Sadiq Khan, another democratically elected politician
42:08
attacked in the most vile and personal of terms by the President of the United States of America
42:14
because he's a Muslim, because he's a brown-skinned man. Make no mistake about that
42:19
And, of course, there's plenty of people in the British political establishment that will sit rubbing their hands with glee at that sort of thing
42:24
One thinks, perhaps, of Nick Timothy, who doesn't think Muslims should be allowed to pray in public
42:29
buying into the racist, far-right talking points that absolutely dominate social media now
42:36
and up steps King Charles and Mr Speaker for many here and for myself
42:45
the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us
42:53
not only personally Thank you
43:12
The guise is not only personally but together as members of our community
43:17
Having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding
43:30
it is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness, which I have found confirmed countless times
43:38
Through it, I am inspired by the profound respect that develops as people of different
43:44
faith grow in their understanding of each other. It is why, which is my hope, my prayer
44:01
that in these turbulent times, working together and with our international partners
44:07
we can stem the beating of plowshares into swords. that's really beautiful and it takes us back to 1521 in a way of course when pope leo the
44:19
keith 10th leo the ninth leo the tenth bestowed the title defender of the faith on on henry
44:27
i think partly consequence of the intercession of thomas moore who henry ii later executed
44:32
but defender of the faith a formal title um bestowed upon all british monarchs from 1521
44:39
onwards even though we later of course split with the catholic church um and charles said a long long
44:46
time ago he wanted to be defender of faiths plural defender of all the faiths entirely at odds with
44:53
the white house regime entirely at odds with the islamophobia entirely at odds with the white supremacism entirely at odds with the personal ad hominem attacks on politicians like Sadiq Khan And Charles just did it But as Dave and Shepherds Bush said it highly unlikely Trump realised what was going on
45:08
because he doesn't really seem to understand the words that he is actually saying himself
45:13
at some points during his oratorical excursions. Majestic inheritance, their veins ran with Anglo-Saxon courage
45:22
their hearts beat with an English faith and standing firm for what is right, good and true
45:31
In recent years, we've often heard it said that America is merely an idea
45:37
But the cause of freedom did not simply appear as an intellectual invention of 1776
45:46
the American founding, was the culmination of hundreds of years of thought, struggle
45:53
sweat, blood and sacrifice on both sides of the Atlantic. Do you remember when you were about six and you would have to take it in terms of read out loud in class
46:06
Do you remember that? And some of us were quite good at it and we'd really look forward to it
46:10
And some kids were not. Some kids would really struggle, but they would still be compelled
46:15
if you went to a school like mine to do it. And the biggest difference
46:19
and now, of course, we understand a lot more about learning difficulties and dyslexia and things like that
46:24
but the biggest difference really was between the kids who actually understood what they were reading
46:30
and therefore would deploy inflection and intonation and emphasis to drive home the meaning of the words
46:39
and the kids who were a little bit behind who were just going to get the words out
46:43
and it didn't really matter what they meant. It was an exercise in decoding almost
46:47
They'd be looking at the words on the piece of paper and they would be almost phonetically spelling them out in their heads
46:52
before saying them out loud. I realise now, at the tender age of 54
46:56
that they were working a hell of a lot harder in those classrooms than I was, but they did sound a lot like this man
47:03
Majestic inheritance, their veins ran with Anglo-Saxon courage. What? Their hearts beat with an English faith in standing firm
47:12
for what is right, good, and true. Can't try and work out where the punctuation marks are
47:17
In recent years, we've often heard it said that America is merely an idea
47:23
but the cause of freedom did not simply appear as an intellectual invention of 1776
47:32
The American founding was the culmination of hundreds of years of thought, struggle
47:38
sweat, blood and sacrifice on both sides of the Atlantic. I would pay good money to see somebody ask him immediately after that
47:52
what his speech had been about. Just to say, Mr. President, what was that speech about
48:00
I can stay silent now because the music's playing. It won't trigger the emergency tapes
48:03
Mr. President, what was that speech actually about? Did you write it yourself
48:07
and he'd have to say, yes, I did, I absolutely did, I wrote every word. Oh, good, then you'll be able to tell us what it was about, won't you
48:13
Can you tell us what that speech was about, please? And he'd say something like, 1776
48:23
That's just extraordinary. King Charles isn't the best orator in the world
48:27
but he sounded like a cross between Cicero and JFK in Congress yesterday
48:32
compared to what the president sounded like on the White House lawn, reading words he clearly didn't understand
48:39
James O'Brien on LBC. Eight minutes after 11 is the time. I'm going to carry on with this conversation
48:47
because it feels as if we did a little bit of premature speculation
48:52
I think, didn't we? I don't think we had much choice. But talking about this visit from the king to the United States
48:58
while it's actually happening, when the big bits have actually happened, is a very different experience from talking speculatively
49:05
about what was likely or unlikely to happen. Not least because on Monday, we missed the biggest element of all
49:11
It didn't cross our minds that they would actually keep Donald Trump in a box, as it were
49:16
like confine the private conversations between the king and the president to rooms where there were no cameras
49:22
So acute was the fear of Donald Trump inserting both of his feet into his mouth
49:26
and, of course, in the process, possibly unintentionally insulting the king. Because I think what we learn today, or what we recognise today
49:34
is the confidence that Keir Starmer had that Donald Trump would not intentionally insult the king
49:41
Intentionally insult the king in the way that he has intentionally insulted Keir Starmer
49:45
and has intentionally insulted Sadiq Khan and has intentionally insulted Omana. Volodymyr Zelensky
49:54
Just a quick list of people he has never insulted. Vladimir Putin? Anybody
49:59
And I suppose you have Jinping? but most obviously Vladimir Putin so just work out what you will
50:09
think what you will about the man if you think of the people he insults and the people he would never dare to insult
50:13
you're left with a fairly clear picture of who he is but he would never intentionally
50:17
insult the the king fingers crossed we hope and that was the calculation that has been
50:24
made and that's why talking about it today is a little different from talking about it
50:29
on other days And thank you also to Adam in Bristol for an Idiot's Corner
50:35
I wasn't really expecting an Idiot's Corner today, but Adam has kindly provided us with one
50:39
Here it goes. So this is him today. Honestly, James, you are Trump obsessed. Every time I switch the radio on, you are talking about him
50:46
Get a grip, fella. Must be a completely different Adam, who has only sent two other texts to LBC
50:51
One says, are you delusional? The BBC didn't make an error. They clearly maliciously edited a very long speech
50:56
to make it into something it just wasn't. This wasn't an error. It was severe corruption by a left-leaning organisation
51:02
Can you get the same person into Idiot's Corner twice? Can we get a little revolving door
51:07
I don't think Adam would notice that he'd come out and was going round and going back in again. And the only other message he sent to the station
51:12
isn't it strange how these people come... This was in response to schoolmates of Nigel Farage
51:18
recalling his anti-Semitism, his admiration of Hitler and the Nazis, his jokes about gas chambers and his insistence that Hitler was right
51:27
Those were the memories of countless former school contemporaries of Nigel Farage
51:32
And Adam got in touch to say, isn't it strange how these people come out at the exact time when Nigel Farage has a very real chance of leadership
51:39
So I suppose the problem in nailing your colours to a mask, mate, is that they stay there
51:45
A bit like lampposts and flags. Six minutes after 11 is the time
51:50
I'm very, very surprised at the outbreak of positivity. with regard, I suppose unless you are a racist supporter of Donald Trump, in which case you're
51:57
hating every minute of this, aren't you, Adam? You're just sitting there going, oh my God
52:03
do you know what King Charles has done? He's gone to the United States of America and he's held up a
52:08
mirror. He's held up a mirror to Donald Trump. He hasn't really expressed any personal opinions
52:13
he's just reminded us of what matters. He's held up a mirror to Donald Trump. Donald Trump can't
52:20
see what's in the mirror because he doesn't understand much anymore as was evinced by the
52:23
speech that he delivered but for all the donald trump fans who cling to the pretense that it not the misogyny the racism and the climate change denial that they addicted to and of course the side order of transphobia
52:35
for all the Donald Trump fans who are desperate to pretend that it's not the racism, the misogyny, the climate change denial or the transphobia that they love
52:44
and that's all that he offers them, that they want to pretend otherwise. And then King Charles goes along, holds up a bloody great mirror, and all they can see is themselves
52:52
All they can see in it is him and his misogynistic, racist, climate change denying transphobic fans
52:59
That's it. That's all that's in the mirror. That's what he's held up. Diversity, multi-faith, interfaith, the importance of listening to and being friends with people from different religions from yourself
53:08
The importance of checks and balances on the executive. The importance of NATO. The importance of looking after Ukraine
53:13
Not insulting the president. The importance of diversity, equality, inclusion. The importance of decency
53:19
The importance of values. the importance of, I think, biggest one of all checks and balances on the executive
53:25
You don't lock up your enemies, you don't cancel your critics, you don't build bloody great arches to yourself for no apparent reason
53:31
despite never having achieved anything in your entire pitiful life, except convince enough rubes and shills and misogynists
53:38
racists and climate change denial fans to make you president twice. So that's, I guess, a shame
53:45
You're going to be very lonely in Idiot's Corner at the moment, Adam, but hopefully someone else will be in touch shortly to move effortlessly from talking about how brilliant Donald Trump is all the time
53:57
to demanding that people who've been pointing out how awful Donald Trump is suddenly shut up and stop talking about him
54:03
Brexit, anybody? Brexit is brilliant. Brexit is brilliant. Brexit is brilliant. Brexit is brilliant
54:07
Will you just all please shut up about Brexit? Why do you all keep going on about Brexit
54:12
You've all got Brexit derangement syndrome. fast forward a few years Trump is brilliant Trump is brilliant Trump is brilliant Trump
54:19
you've all got Trump derangement syndrome why do you all keep talking about Trump
54:23
why do you all keep talking about the man I couldn't stop talking about when I was telling you how brilliant he is now you're pointing out what even I have to admit he's so awful
54:31
I haven't actually looked at any Dick Little John columns for a while but um I'm fairly confident
54:37
he won't be writing about how embarrassed and ashamed he is to have written that he'd never
54:41
been more ashamed to be British than when Donald Trump didn't persuade Keir Starmer to join him in
54:46
an illegal war and how much he wishes that Donald Trump was our leader as opposed to Keir Starmer
54:53
Last couple of columns I can remember. One was looking at a 25-year-old episode of the bill
54:58
and claiming, well treating it like a historical document actually, as if a 25-year-old episode of
55:03
the bill was actually a documentary that depicted how brilliant the United Kingdom was 25 years ago
55:08
despite the fact that Dick Littlejohn was writing columns 25 years ago, probably from his home in Florida
55:13
about how awful the United Kingdom was. And then there was one the other day
55:17
where I think he was treating his own past columns. I hope I'm not getting mixed up with another one of these clowns
55:23
but I think he said, I've been reading some of my old columns and I can't believe how right I was
55:28
Which is a beautiful illustration of somebody whose echo chamber has now only got one person in it
55:34
Echo chambers are always dangerous when you're only hearing people echo back to you
55:38
the opinions that you already held. But an echo chamber that involves a newspaper columnist
55:43
reading his own columns to re-insure himself that he's not an absolute clown, that's a thing of beauty
55:48
That's almost worthy of a sort of Samuel Beckett play, isn't it? That's like the crap-slast tape of columnists
55:54
sitting there in an echo chamber so tiny that it's only got room for you and a pile of your old bigoted columns
56:01
I wonder if you read the one that was cited by a coroner investigating the suicide of a young teacher
56:08
who cited Richard Littlejohn's role in the demonisation of that teacher. I wonder if he read that one
56:15
when he was patting himself on the back about how brilliant he is. Anyway, Vyka Rothermere is still paying him
56:21
Ten minutes after 11 is the time. Back to Donald Trump. Anthony is in Dartford
56:25
Anthony, what would you like to say? How are you doing, James? First time caller. Oh, good, mate. Sorry
56:29
You were on hold there. Sometimes that happens. I don't know what it's like. I just go off on these sort of spurts, and I can't control them, Anthony, but you're here now
56:37
I've just been laughing at everything you say. I mean, today I've woken up in a parallel universe
56:42
It's literally like a paradox for anybody that's not a monarchist. Yes, yes, I think you're right
56:48
Any monarchy. I woke up this morning thinking, hang on a minute, am I a royalist all of a sudden
56:53
You know, I just didn't expect to see that. I woke up, I switched my phone on, I looked, and I laughed, and I thought
57:01
Do you know what? The Plastic King has had a visit to his own backyard from the King of Kings
57:07
and got a massive slap down. Not only that, in his own little echo chamber, or let's call it Congress
57:15
because it really is. Well, I think they were almost waiting, because when they clapped a bit about Christianity
57:21
I thought, uh-oh, they don't know what's coming. I know how King Charles feels about religion
57:26
James, they didn't clap, buddy. It was a standing ovation. You're quite right
57:31
They hit the reset button. Prince Charles, King Charles, who I just thought to myself
57:37
do you know what, the royal family, they don't ever get involved in politics. They're inherently against ever getting involved in it
57:44
The guy has made me think very differently about the purpose of a monarchy this morning
57:51
Yeah, wow. I think I get that. I mean, we've all got the defence of recency bias
57:58
I mean, give it a week, and we might be back to roughly where we were before regarding the monarchy
58:01
but arguments always involve claims that our monarchy in its current form
58:08
can do things that no other head of state can do. And I mean, I was going to say he has kind of proved that
58:15
but he's only proved it in the context of this ridiculous human being, Donald Trump. There isn't another president in the history of the United States of America
58:21
that would have insulted our prime minister in the way that he has done, or our mayor, or you're in Dartford, but the mayor of London
58:27
or the president of Ukraine, a supposed ally under attack from an ancient enemy
58:35
No other president would have done that, but only the king, it would appear
58:39
could stand in the flow and not be washed away by it
58:43
Well, you've got Donald Trump, who is a plastic king. He thinks he's a king. Getting a visit from a real king
58:51
A real king. Okay, so he's thinking, there's just someone on my level
58:55
or maybe someone I aspire to be. That's extraordinary. Whatever like that. Absolutely right, yeah
59:00
But the whole room gave an ovation. Donald Trump sat there, and he looked around at his vice president
59:09
standing up, clapping like a seal to what Prince Charles was saying
59:15
That, I don't think it will give Donald Trump a wake-up call. It can go one way or the other, can't it
59:20
Of course it can. There was one bit he didn't clap. There was one bit Vance didn't clap
59:24
I don't think he clapped a bit about Ukraine. Yeah, one bit, but I mean, look at the rest, James
59:30
Look at the rest. No, I am, but I'm just thinking that's quite significant, isn't it
59:34
That he couldn't even bring himself in public to applaud the idea that the United States should stand by its allies against its enemies
59:42
But then we're looking at J.D. Vance, do you expect any differently from a guy that's changed his name three times
59:48
Do you know what I mean? I mean, really, come on. I'm going to make you laugh again before you go, all right
59:54
You said you've been tucking away all morning. Oh, man, you've made me die today. This is from Alan in Asher
59:59
He goes, James, I'm starting to think that Trump's speech might actually have been written by Lee Anderson
1:00:04
Just a thought. Coming up to quarter past eleven, you're listening to James O'Brien on LBC
1:00:11
where, I mean, again, if you're just joining us, the three things that you probably don't know about
1:00:15
if you've been too busy doing something less boring instead, are that Kid Rock addressed the Pentagon yesterday
1:00:23
photographic evidence of which was posted on social media, and which I, despite doing this for a living
1:00:27
I thought that one must be a joke. But no, Kid Rock addressed the Pentagon
1:00:34
Donald Trump posted a picture of himself touting a Kalashnikov rifle and wearing sunglasses
1:00:40
against a backdrop of a heavily bombed, apparently Middle Eastern, Vista under the enormous letters in capitals
1:00:47
No More Mr Nice Guy, where he wrote, Iran can't get their act together
1:00:52
they don't know how to sign a non-nuclear deal, they better get smart soon, President DJT
1:00:57
and the White House posted a picture of Donald Trump with King Charles under the title Two Kings
1:01:05
I need American callers to explain to me whether or not that's going to upset the apple cart
1:01:11
back in the United States because it's the 250th anniversary of getting rid of a king
1:01:17
I wonder how many Americans looking at that picture, two kings, one an actual king, one an actual idiot
1:01:22
and look at that picture and find themselves thinking, maybe we actually, wouldn't that be an extraordinary moment
1:01:27
if the 250th anniversary of the American War of Independence as a consequence of seeing Donald Trump standing next to the King of England
1:01:35
made an awful lot of Americans think that they might have made a terrible mistake back in 1776
1:01:41
It's 1116. James O'Brien on LBC. 1117 is the time. PMQ's on the way after yesterday's pantomime
1:01:51
regarding Keir Starmer's. explanations and apologies for the ridiculous, in retrospect, 2020 hindsight's a wonderful thing, isn't it
1:02:00
Appointment of Peter Mandelson, and the fact that all the people involved in the process of vetting that appointment
1:02:07
have essentially attested that Keir Starmer didn't do anything wrong. But that hasn't stopped Cammie Bader-Knot from attempting to turn it all into a political pantomime
1:02:15
Oh, no, she didn't. Oh, yes, she did. So, PMQs is just such a performance art at the moment, isn't it
1:02:23
You've got a leader of the opposition who can't mention a war because she was so outright in favour of it
1:02:28
although she now pretends not to. No, no, no, I didn't say that we should be involved in the war. I just said that we should be entirely supportive
1:02:33
of the people waging the war. Well, you can't really be entirely supportive
1:02:38
of the people waging the war if you have the opportunity to join them and don't
1:02:42
If you're a fan or a spectator, you can go to a football game and be entirely supportive of your team
1:02:49
without actually joining in. You might be expected to cheer, but if you're a player, if you are actually a player, if you're booted and you're on the bench and the referee blows his whistle and your manager says, right, get on the pitch, and you say, no, no, no, no, I'm fully supportive of this team, but I'm not going to play, then some people might question whether you are actually as fully supportive of that team as you claim to be
1:03:12
But Kemi Bader, genius that she is, is capable of being in full support of a war
1:03:16
while adamant that she wouldn't want to be involved in it. So she's going to do PMQs, despite not being able to mention the war
1:03:24
Keir Starmer is going to be desperate not to mention the Peter Mandelson debacle
1:03:28
entirely of his own making. Don't think for a minute that I'm downplaying what an absolute pig's ear he's made of this
1:03:34
as well as many, many other things. But I'm certainly not going to be quiet about all the people desperately overplaying it
1:03:40
or, for example, the Boris Johnson fan still lying about him losing his job
1:03:45
because of eating cake, as opposed to acknowledging that he had to resign as Prime Minister
1:03:49
because he couldn't persuade enough Conservatives to serve in his government. I often stumble into these moments of absurdity
1:03:58
where I think that's not the out-narrative, is it? That's not the narrative that the rest of this industry seems to follow
1:04:06
People still say, oh, well, Boris Johnson lost his job because of cake. Boris Johnson lost his job. Boris Johnson got ousted as Prime Minister because he couldn't persuade enough conservatives to serve in his government
1:04:19
He couldn't cobble together a government. A man whose standards were so low that he put Nadine Dorries in charge of culture, media and sport, reached a point where he couldn't even cobble together a cabinet
1:04:32
He couldn't collect enough cronies and cretins to constitute a cabinet because his depravity and his disgusting conduct was so acute
1:04:41
that even they had temporarily and very briefly discovered some sort of political conscience
1:04:47
But, of course, the client journalists, the shills and the sycophants, still insist that, oh, he had to go because he ate some cake
1:04:53
He had to go because he couldn't constitute a cabinet of his own supporters
1:04:57
as a consequence of his various disgraces. debacles and disgusting conduct. But that is the thing that the history books will show
1:05:07
even as the Daily Mail pays him half a million quid a year to write a column and pretends that he isn't a very naughty boy
1:05:12
He's actually the messiah. He had to go because he couldn't convince his own MPs
1:05:18
to join a government. So what's Keir Starmer getting a kicking for today
1:05:24
Convincing his own MPs to vote for him. Hang on, just run that by me again
1:05:29
if you're among the sections of the media trying to compare Keir Starmer's embarrassments to Boris Johnson's
1:05:35
What did Boris Johnson lose his premiership for? Not being able to persuade enough member visitors of his own party
1:05:40
to join his government. What's Keir Starmer getting a kicking for today? Persuading his own MPs to support him in Parliament
1:05:47
Yeah, identical. Absolutely impossible to tell them apart. Indistinguishable episodes in British political history
1:05:54
A Prime Minister so damaged and disgraced that even his biggest cronies won't join him in a Cabinet
1:05:58
versus a prime minister who successfully persuaded all but a handful of colleagues
1:06:05
to support him in a commons vote brought about entirely for reasons of political pantomime
1:06:10
colluded in by the right-wing media, by a politician who currently can't talk about the war in Iran
1:06:16
because if she does, it will be pointed out that she was in full support of it
1:06:20
until she suggested that she wasn't. And then she suggested that she still is, but she wouldn't want to do it
1:06:24
She wouldn't want to be in it, but she supports it. But she wouldn't want to be in it, but she supports it
1:06:28
So she supports it, but she won't want to be in it. So she doesn't support enough to be in it, but she definitely supports it a lot
1:06:32
more than the other people who support it but don't want to be in it, who don't support. You see
1:06:37
So PMQs is either going to be brilliant or ridiculous, and possibly a combination of both
1:06:43
a bit like events in Washington yesterday, brilliant and ridiculous, or possibly a combination of both
1:06:49
Michael is in Greenwich. Michael, for people who don't know, you have a history in the US diplomatic corps
1:06:56
which means you're probably going to pour at least some cold water upon my rare feelings of patriotic stirrings this morning
1:07:04
Well, yeah, probably. There we go. I mean, the speech was brilliant
1:07:12
and I also had questioned whether or not it made sense for the King to go
1:07:17
but he, I don't think, could have done a better job. No, good
1:07:21
but yeah what I think if you in Dubuque you not going to listen to the King speech Now I just or probably not What you more likely to see is the picture that Trump posted of himself and the king was the captain to king
1:07:40
Yes. You know, just people are going to pay more attention to the visual than they are the content of what really was a brilliant speech
1:07:50
It's extremely well done, probably way too subtle for many of the people who one would hope had listened to it
1:08:02
And I think people still need to realize here that at this point in this administration, the U.S. is not Britain's ally
1:08:12
Yeah, of course. Huge amounts of money are going to be spent supporting parties that would want to dismantle democracy
1:08:20
and it's not going to change Trump. His numbers stay steady, surprisingly, unbelievably
1:08:30
but they remain steady. And I, at this point, so again, I think the King's speech was brilliant
1:08:37
I think it was as good as it possibly could have been
1:08:41
and yet I doubt it will have much impact. In fact, in terms of Trump's supporters
1:08:46
it's going to be seen as burnishing his... They'll sell it as a plus
1:08:50
they'll sell it i mean in a way it's a microcosm of everything you you have nuance subtlety class
1:08:56
expertise education evidence um all brought to bear by king charles and then into exactly the
1:09:03
same arena steps donald trump with crassness and memes and his team cheer the crassness and the
1:09:08
memes and don't even notice the subtlety the expertise the evidence the rhetoric the oratory
1:09:15
and the sheer class of what King Charles did yesterday. Now, just to add a bit of light
1:09:22
I mean, who is he speaking in front of? He's speaking in front of Congress
1:09:27
and I still think there's still some hope, as slim as it may be
1:09:33
that there may be some people willing to question some of what Trump's attempting to do
1:09:39
in the sense that many of them have already said they're not running again. They're lame ducks
1:09:44
Now, the King's Beat may have ignited in them some of the commitment and patriotism
1:09:52
that might have inspired some of them originally to run for office, which they seem mostly to have forgotten
1:09:57
Well, I think of a tank, a fuel tank, not a military tank. I think of a fuel tank
1:10:02
and I was thinking exactly the same thing, actually, because I think he's done it to me a bit
1:10:07
although it probably won't last, in that you need a little reminder sometimes
1:10:11
of what it is that you believe in, And King Charles has possibly just put a few drops of fuel back in the depleted tanks that you describe
1:10:19
and reminded people of what it is that they believe in. And he's done it pretty clearly, albeit that it was not clear enough for the people that we're talking about
1:10:28
and probably not clear enough for Donald Trump himself. Some of the cleverer people around him will know exactly what has happened
1:10:33
But by championing diversity, by stressing the importance of foreign policy involving, you know, absolute involvement with and support for NATO and absolute solidarity
1:10:45
with allies like Ukraine against enemies like Vladimir Putin's Russia. And crucially, I think
1:10:51
the importance of checks and balances on the executive. Charles didn't have to go there
1:10:55
He really didn't have to go there. And he did. And, you know, we've all got a little
1:11:00
crib sheet of Trump's attempts to undermine, attack or dismantle checks and balances on
1:11:05
the executive and there'll be people in congress i hope who whether or not it changes their long-term
1:11:11
intentions and ambitions they will just feel a few splashes of uh of petrol landing in their
1:11:18
heavily depleted fuel tanks as a reminder of what it is that drove them into politics in the first
1:11:24
place no i agree and it may resonate even beyond that for example the speaker of the
1:11:30
The Florida legislature is standing up to DeSantis, and he's someone who may very well listen to this speech
1:11:38
And that may, I think, in a great ogy, that might put some fuel in his tank
1:11:46
And I was inspired by it, and I think that we need to be reminded, and as you said earlier in the show
1:11:56
what's admirable is that people who do those things which need to be done regardless
1:12:02
of the consequences they just need to be said yeah and we forget that don't we
1:12:08
that's what gets battered out of us sometimes because we say well I won't make any difference
1:12:14
yeah exactly you don't someone told me years ago that you act out of compassion and have no
1:12:22
attachment to resolve yeah i've puzzled over it for 50 years and but i know he's right yeah you do what's right because
1:12:29
it's right not because of anything that will happen as a consequence but but just because
1:12:33
it's right i tell you what michael i wonder whether having heritage like that and i normally
1:12:39
see it as a negative in the in the context of the british ruling class but perhaps you look at the
1:12:44
world in a much more long-term way if you are able to trace your family back to the doomsday book or
1:12:51
or beyond. You know, I usually use trees as my example here
1:12:56
There's not much point me planting any trees because it's highly unlikely that my grandchildren
1:12:59
my children, let alone my grandchildren, are going to be living on the land that I currently inhabit
1:13:04
But if my family's been there for 400 years, I'm going to plant trees that aren't going to come to fruition
1:13:08
for 150 years. So Charles perhaps knows this isn't actually going to
1:13:13
Donald Trump isn't going to have a road to Damascus experience and go on live television tomorrow to announce
1:13:17
that he's giving it all up to become a monk or a half-decent man
1:13:21
But in the context of the broad sweep of history, standing up and saying what needs to be said just needs to be said
1:13:29
It just needs to be that. That's what integrity is in a way, isn't it? I think with the king, I don't know him
1:13:38
Sure. But obviously, but I think that... I'll introduce you. Thanks, thanks
1:13:43
Actually, I had a conversation with his mother at one point. There you go
1:13:47
But I think with him, that may be an element. But I do also think that he sees that he's been given this responsibility to be of service
1:14:00
So you see it in his commitment to the environment. I think there's a very, you know, a deep commitment to service in his life
1:14:09
And I don't know that it takes the long view to do that. No, you're right
1:14:13
Actually, it's what he is there for. It's what am I here for? What do I do with this weird job I've got
1:14:18
And actually, that's what we're all here for, regardless of the job we have
1:14:22
Yeah, and he's found purpose. And it was never clearer than it was yesterday
1:14:27
Thank you, Michael. Oh, before you go, a quick word on the passport. I mean, I don't know how we do this, but yeah, I'm sorry
1:14:33
But he is sticking his old face on it. And that is slightly along with tradition
1:14:38
Well, he has to say it's on everything. I mean, it's on the national park passes. He wants to put it on one of the currency, on the bills
1:14:46
he was putting it on the, it's going to take, well, you know, I don't know, if we're even
1:14:51
given the opportunity it going to take a long time just to get his face off of everything much less his name off of everything There a line I bet you never thought during your days as a diplomat you have to utter it going to take a long time to get his face off of everything
1:15:09
Oh, Lord. And of course, comments like that remind me of something that you may not be aware of
1:15:14
I'm sure Michael is. But there is a character, and you're not allowed to play this game if you do know who it is
1:15:20
Because I've told you before, and it's quite well known, but it's not universally known
1:15:23
and some people think that it's a theory rather than a fact, an iconic 1980s film character
1:15:30
who the script writers have subsequently confirmed was based on Donald Trump
1:15:37
So when Michael there says, it's going to take an age to get his face off of everything
1:15:42
never mind his name, which iconic 1980s film character sprang into my mind
1:15:48
and then rang that little bell in the back of my brain, went, no, no, no, no, that is who it was based on
1:15:53
And you can only play if you don't know the answer, because I think if you guess, you'll almost certainly get it right
1:15:59
Iconic 1980s character sprang into my mind, when Michael pointed out it's going to take ages
1:16:05
to get his flipping face off everything, and then reminded me that actually the character
1:16:11
was, according to the scriptwriter, inspired by Donald Trump. Who's the character
1:16:18
Before I tell you, Lottie Morley has the headlines. James O'Brien on LBC
1:16:23
It is 25 to 12. PMQ's, of course, on the way at 12
1:16:28
Is it Natasha or Aggie today? Is Aggie Chambre joining me shortly before PMQ's
1:16:34
to have a game attempt at working out what is likely to occur
1:16:38
Will we have callbacks to yesterday's pantomime in the House of Commons
1:16:42
or will we have something new? We probably won't have much on the question of the Iran war
1:16:49
from Camille Bader not because she managed to tie herself in knots on that practically before a shot had even been fired
1:16:55
But something will come up and we will find out what it is shortly
1:16:59
I've got a couple of good guests for you today. One you know, one you don't. Simon Marks is the one that you do know
1:17:04
You'll have to wait to find out the one that you don't. But I'm not sure I've ever had a better response
1:17:08
to one of my slightly annoying questions. It is true. It is true beyond any reasonable doubt
1:17:14
that the character of Biff Tannen in Back to the Future 2
1:17:18
was inspired by Donald Trump. Back to the Future 2, of course
1:17:22
contingent upon the buffoon, the bullying buffoon depicted in Back to the Future 1
1:17:28
cheats his way to epic fame and fortune and then sticks his goddamn face on everything
1:17:34
So the script writer of Back to the Future 2 was confirmed by the screenwriter Bob Gale
1:17:40
to be the inspiration for the casino-owning real estate mogul in Back to the Future 2
1:17:47
So there it is. What I didn't know until a couple of you suggested that I was talking about Daniel Clamp
1:17:53
out of Gremlins 2, the new batch, another ridiculous publicity-loving real estate developer
1:18:01
that was also based on Donald Trump. So 1980s filmmakers kind of gave us a warning from the past
1:18:08
didn't they, about what to expect? Daniel Clamp, not quite as iconic a character
1:18:13
I don't think, as Biff Tannen, but also based on New York filmmakers
1:18:17
would have known, wouldn't they, exactly what they were looking at. And the screenwriter of that character said it was indeed based on Donald Trump
1:18:27
but also on Ted Turner as well. But I think mostly Trump, given that he is portrayed as having written a book called I'll Take Manhattan
1:18:35
which sort of stands comparison with the art of the deal, doesn't it
1:18:39
So, yeah, I think that is one of the great examples of something in the Internet age that someone will tell you
1:18:46
Did you know that Biff Tannen in Back to the Future 2 was literally based on Donald Trump
1:18:51
You know, the really hideous, misogynistic monster. That was based on Donald Trump
1:18:57
And people will go, no, it can't. How would you even know that? And then they'll go home and Google it, and they'll go
1:19:02
flipping heck, he's not as daft as he looks, that lad, is he
1:19:06
It's actually true. And then if you're really looking for factoids, you would move on to Daniel Clamp
1:19:14
out of Gremlins 2, the new batch. But as I say, it's not quite as iconic a character
1:19:19
or as iconic a film as Back to the Future. It's a great film, though
1:19:23
It's a really good film, Back to the Future 2. Well worth revisiting
1:19:27
They both are, one and two. Three? Not so much. And that concludes this week's Film Corner
1:19:33
Tony's in Greenock. Tony, what would you like to say? Yeah, just to bring the thing back to Trump and the speech
1:19:40
Yeah, sorry. Yes, you're quite right, honestly. That's so unprofessional of me. Thank you, Tony
1:19:43
Thank God you're here. Don't play this your own show. Thank God you're here. Yeah, my worry is that once Trump's aides have explained all the big words
1:19:53
and brought it down to a top 10 type language that Trump understands
1:19:58
his fragile little ego will get bruised and he'll revert back to type
1:20:03
And once the king is back in the UK, he'll be, Kirsten, this, that, that, disrespected, blah, blah, blah
1:20:09
I don't think it will. I don't think it will moderate his hideous treatment
1:20:14
of our democratically elected prime minister or mayor of London, but I don't think anyone's going to tell him, mate
1:20:20
Who's going to tell him? He's sitting there. He might as well have given him another peace prize
1:20:25
He's sitting there stroking the photographs of him with King Charles, looking at the pictures of him as a king
1:20:30
and he's sitting there chuckling, like a baby with a rusk. Who's going to come along and take his rusk away in that regime
1:20:37
One of these maggot idiots, Mike Tandarence. Do you actually realise what he said in that speech
1:20:43
By the way, the king thinks you're a prat. Yeah. No one's going to do it
1:20:49
He was calling you an idiot in a very subtle way. And a racist
1:20:54
Yeah, yeah. So, I mean, if the penny ever dropped with him in that one
1:20:58
not that nothing's going to stop him reverting back to type, but, you know, it might further make things worse with him
1:21:07
than they already are. But, yeah, I'd like to say, who's going to tell him
1:21:12
He lives in his own little fantasy world. Well, his echo chamber's not as small as Dick Littlejohn's
1:21:18
but it's still pretty small. It's the size of the White House. And what they do now is show him pictures of bombs going off
1:21:26
and say, oh, this is all going brilliantly. Everything's going brilliantly in Iran. I don't know if you saw that story
1:21:30
It is as if they are serving a six-year-old emperor. But that's not even fair on six-year-olds, is it
1:21:36
Because some six-year-olds are really bright and they can understand things and feel things and have empathy
1:21:43
A six-year-old, you know, a boy king, a dofan, could do a better job than Donald Trump
1:21:48
because they're not even showing him the real stuff. So, yeah, listen, if it breaks, if somehow it creeps through
1:21:54
God forbid that a clip of this programme should end up on his social media feed and he sits there and he has a temporary clearing of the clouds in his mind
1:22:02
and thinks, oh, my God, oh, my God, that would be like that Michelin Web sketch, wouldn't it
1:22:06
Are we the baddies? Are we the bad guys? I don't think Stephen Miller even would tell him
1:22:12
J.D. Vance isn't going to tell him. He's happy. No one's going to take his rusk away. No one's going to take his rusk away
1:22:17
But it is, of course, highly likely that things return to normal
1:22:22
with regards to how he treats the United Kingdom sometime soon But Charles has left something behind you know Charles has left something behind And it is a reminder that all it is it just a little reminder of what matters and what values
1:22:39
are. Quite a few of you suggesting that Stephen Miller will tell him that the king had, but then
1:22:45
of course, but this is, oh this is good, Tony what have you started? Because that's pure emperor
1:22:50
a new clothes territory then. Trump's never going to admit that he didn't understand
1:22:54
what was happening in front of him, is he? He's a great friend of mine. He agrees with me about this and that and the other
1:23:00
He's, oh, we're great friends. We're great friends. And Stephen Miller slimes into the room and says
1:23:04
ooh, he really, uh, he really went for you there, Mr. President
1:23:09
He's made a mockery of our Anglo-Saxon, our faux Anglo-Saxon white supremacism
1:23:16
He's made a mockery of our sycophancy towards Vladimir Putin and our hideous, disgusting treachery towards Volodymyr Zelensky
1:23:24
He really came after your attempts to excuse yourself from checks and balances
1:23:29
your determination to be above the law, to be above decency, to be above tradition
1:23:33
your determination to be awarded presidential impunity for no reason whatsoever, save to protect you from the consequences of your own moral corruption
1:23:43
He really went for you there. And that would have to involve Donald Trump going
1:23:47
Oh my God, I am naked. Oh, God, arrest those tailors immediately
1:23:51
Donald Trump's never going to admit that he was too stupid to realise how stupid he was. At least that's what I'm saying
1:23:57
That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Helder's in Enfield. Helder, what would you like to say? James, you are quite right when you said
1:24:03
that that speech left something behind. You did, didn't you? It did. I watched it yesterday
1:24:07
and it done something that I didn't think would be possible. OK
1:24:13
European, on loan in Britain, staunch Republican. and after that yesterday, for the first time
1:24:20
and people that know me will confirm this, when I always said never, I thought to myself
1:24:26
I'm getting a British passport, I'm signing up for the team. Gosh, really
1:24:30
Yes. I mean, is it easy these days? I thought it was almost impossible. Don't tell Cammie Bader not, whatever you do
1:24:36
she'll have a head fit of the vapors. Yeah, she'll have me deported next
1:24:41
Yeah, James. Well, I mean, we all have the right, I've said this a few times
1:24:46
We all have the right to calm down, and I suppose we've all been desperate for a little bit of positivity
1:24:50
and a little bit of warmth. But it puts the purpose of monarchy in a much clearer light
1:24:58
than we often have. Completely, completely, James. And also, it showed that Britain, a middle economy, middle power
1:25:08
part in the north of Europe, carries a weight in the world
1:25:12
that was represented in that moment. I hope you're right. I hope you're right. I mean, the weight of historic significance, I suppose, but that can also be contrasted with, as you just did, actually, rather powerfully, with more modern irrelevance or with more modern unimportance
1:25:31
but we are both of those countries. We are Britannia that ruled the waves
1:25:35
and we are also Brexit Britain. And the king manages somehow to transcend that
1:25:40
in moments like this. And they're two, three times in a reign, tops, if you're lucky, these kind of things
1:25:44
for a reign that is the length of King Charles' probable tenure
1:25:49
There were two or three times you do something of such extraordinary impact
1:25:53
that you end up changing the way an awful lot of people
1:25:57
look at the monarchy. And in Helder's case, the country itself. What a lovely call. What a lovely phone in
1:26:02
If only there was some nice stuff around more often. Thank you. Say Your Majesty
1:26:08
Yeah, no, no, no, that's ridiculous. Thank you, Charles. Good job. James O'Brien on LBC
1:26:15
It is 11.48. You are listening to James O'Brien on LBC. Thea Rickard is LBC's reporter in the South West
1:26:25
and she joins me now with a story that I don't know will necessarily get filed under surprising
1:26:31
but it certainly gets filed under concerning. Theo, what have you got? Well, James, LBC has seen images reposted on social media
1:26:39
by a Reform UK Plymouth City Council candidate, which it's been claimed amounts to extremism
1:26:46
One of the images shared by Ben Rowe on Facebook is a car..
1:26:51
..hitting hundreds of Muslims in Mecca, which is, of course, the holiest site in Islam
1:26:56
These people are all dressed in white, standing and presumably worshipping around the Kaaba
1:27:02
Above, a nuclear bomb is being dropped on them. And James, the caption on this image appears to give directions that this is the fastest way to world peace
1:27:13
Now, it's important to note that Benro has since deleted his post resharing that picture
1:27:19
But Dr. Naomi Green from the Muslim Council of Britain claims the damage has already been done
1:27:25
Anyone who is calling for the mass murder of a group of people is an extremist
1:27:29
It doesn't matter what religion, ethnicity, background they are. And this is the normalisation of extremist language
1:27:35
Because I can guarantee if I was to put up a similar image, and I wouldn't because I'm not that type of person
1:27:40
but if I was to put up a similar image with a nuclear bomb dropping on an identifiable group of people
1:27:45
the police would be at my door pretty sharpish under anti-terror laws
1:27:49
Because it's extremism. And we recognise it when some people do it, but not when others do it
1:27:54
And that scares me. Another post shared online by Ben Rowe, which has now been deleted
1:28:03
depicts the starfish Patrick from SpongeBob as a Muslim holding a gun
1:28:08
Holding his other hand is a child wearing a hijab, and a speech bubble identifies her as his girlfriend
1:28:15
Now, Reform UK say they're investigating Ben Rowe and are thoroughly looking into his social media posts
1:28:21
most of which we found were shared in around October last year
1:28:26
But the deadline for the party to remove his nomination from the ballot paper has now passed
1:28:31
with just over a week to go until the local elections. Dr Naomi Green says the content the candidate shared online should be taken seriously
1:28:41
It's just the kind of reinforcing of this idea of Muslim communities as vermin
1:28:47
Muslim communities as something to cleanse the country off, you know, something, you know, the undesirables, the fifth column
1:28:57
You know, we've been down here before in history and we know where this kind of rhetoric goes
1:29:02
So it's one thing when it's on the fringes, it's scary, you know, but when it's mainstreamed, that is terrifying
1:29:10
James, you'll appreciate as we're in the run-up to the local elections
1:29:15
I need to mention the other candidates running in the Plymouth Ham ward
1:29:19
They're Josh Ayres for the Green Party Charlotte Carlyle for the Conservative and Unionist Party
1:29:25
Stephen Holm, an independent candidate Cara Odinsdottir for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
1:29:31
Tim Parkin for the Liberal Democrats and Tina Toohey for the Labour and Cooperative Party
1:29:37
now lbc has approached reform uk to get a comment directly from ben row on this investigation
1:29:43
and the allegations of extremism but we've been told he will not comment on the matter
1:29:48
it has previously been reported james that he posted on facebook to say the posts have been
1:29:54
taken out of context and that he'd shared them years ago although it appears this post
1:29:59
has also since been removed. Theo Ricard, thank you very much indeed
1:30:06
And thank you also for reminding us that we are currently in a period of political purdah
1:30:10
because of the imminent local elections, which is also why the much-loved feature
1:30:17
Riley's reform roundup, is on hold for the time being as well
1:30:22
And yet, Nigel, of course, Farage boasting about how brilliant the vetting process was
1:30:27
just a few short moments ago. 11.52 is the time. I think, given what we've just heard about this
1:30:33
well, hideous attacks upon Muslim people, it's a timely moment to remind ourselves
1:30:39
of what the King had to say in Congress yesterday about the importance of relations between the faiths
1:30:45
because he clearly recognises how important that is, and indeed how profoundly British it is
1:30:51
to have a multiplicity of worship in this country, even if people like Nick Timothy of the Conservative Party
1:30:57
and various members of other political organisations, including this character from Nigel Farage's outfit, do not
1:31:06
So here he is, probably the last bit you'll hear from me, although do not be surprised if other presenters on LBC radio
1:31:14
return to the territory of events in Washington yesterday. Here's my last nod towards it
1:31:19
And, Mr. Speaker, for many here, and for myself, the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us, not only personally
1:31:49
that guides us not only personally, but together as members of our community
1:31:56
Having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding
1:32:09
it is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness, which I have found confirmed countless times
1:32:16
Through it, I am inspired by the profound respect that develops as people of different faiths grow in their understanding of each other
1:32:27
It is why, which is my hope, my prayer, that in these turbulent times, working together and with our international partners, we can stem the beating of ploughshares into swords
1:32:51
11.55 is the time. It is my prayer too. And the final word on the subject of this speech
1:32:57
and indeed this ongoing and continuing visit, although I think the potential for difficulty or controversy
1:33:03
has been largely passed now, looking at the schedule. Wendy is in Sandhurst. Wendy, what would you like to say
1:33:09
Morning, James. Now, James. Wendy, Wendy, Wendy. I just want to say I had a bit of an unexpected feeling this morning as well, James
1:33:18
Steady on. And I was proud of the king. I was proud of him
1:33:26
That was the most eloquent put-down of that idiot I've ever heard in my life
1:33:33
And I think it went completely over his head. I don't think he understood what was going on
1:33:39
And I don't think anybody is going to tell him what the speech is actually about
1:33:46
because he will not come from day. Well, this is the thing, isn't it, about..
1:33:51
My friend Edward Dox wrote a piece a while ago about him being an ogre
1:33:55
and I thought it was a bit unkind on Shrek, the piece
1:33:59
but other than that, it was intellectually brilliant because we spend time expecting consequence or reaction
1:34:08
but if someone consists entirely of appetite, there is nothing beyond the feeding of the appetite
1:34:16
like want praise, want power, want woman, want money, want cheeseburger, want statue, want peace prize
1:34:23
And you think, oh, well, we've given him that now. What happens next? But nothing happens next
1:34:28
He just gets given it. And so I don't think he's capable of the sort of critical thought
1:34:33
that would require him to conclude that this wasn't brilliant. He's got the king visiting him
1:34:38
Want power, want prestige, want status, want pageantry. Got it. Game over. Next. Next meal
1:34:44
Narcissists have no empathy. No. They have no empathy. His ego is gigantic
1:34:51
But like a narcissist, just, it goes over their heads. It's all about them
1:34:55
And appetites. Appetites is the key for me to getting to the next stage of understanding him
1:35:00
But yeah, I also had a very odd feeling this morning, Wendy. And it was exactly the same as yours
1:35:05
It was that sense of good Lord. I've got no beef with King Charles
1:35:09
I think he's done a pretty good job in pretty difficult circumstances. circumstances. I think he's done a heck of a lot better than many people expected or feared
1:35:16
because, of course, his queen was so widely regarded in such high esteem, but he's done it
1:35:23
He's done really, really well. And a couple of things that have made me smile as well in the
1:35:29
course before we turn to Aggy Chambrae. This is entirely personal, and it is entirely irrelevant
1:35:34
to everyone except me, but messages like this, they just delight me, because it means that
1:35:39
I don't know, it means I'm in the car with you and you're thinking about me. Good morning, James
1:35:43
I'm just going past Kidderminster from Wrexham to Watford. I just thought I'd let you know, writes Tess
1:35:48
That's when you start on the radio, which I did 20-odd years ago, that's, these are the moments that you dream of
1:35:55
That personal connection that Tess and I have, despite the fact we've never met and possibly never will
1:35:59
in normal circumstances or in real life, but you see Kidderminster on a roadside and you think of me
1:36:05
And that warms the cockles of my shrivelled Midlands heart. Roddy made me laugh when I was talking about Donald Trump being desperate to stick his mug on everything
1:36:16
And this is a bit niche. Roddy pointed out that my mug wouldn't fit on a banknote, which is very true, Roddy
1:36:22
Thank you, and indeed, cheers. And finally, Daniel deserved a prize for this, but it kind of got overtaken by events
1:36:30
We played a little clip of Trump. I suppose the technical term would be delivering a speech
1:36:35
but more accurate perhaps to describe it, reading some words that he didn't appear to have much grasp of or indeed interest in
1:36:42
But we played a little clip of Trump reading some words and Daniel responded by saying he sounds like Joey from Friends
1:36:48
when he used a thesaurus for the first time. I am here all day for references to Kidderminster
1:36:54
to Friends and to my mug. Aguishambray is here to steer us towards PMQs
1:37:00
What are we expecting? Do we know? Do we care? Yes, we care. We always care
1:37:06
Well, James, it's the last one before prorogation. And number 10 was keen to stress this morning
1:37:14
that legislation wrapped up earlier than expected. So they actually didn't need to do this PMQs at all
1:37:20
But I was reading on my inbox from people who spend their lives immersed on Twitter or the Daily Express website that Starmer was desperate to avoid this PMQs and was going to prorogue Parliament early and was suddenly Do you mean that was all a load of hokum Well they definitely told Labour MPs last week that they were going to wrap up early wrap up yesterday
1:37:39
And then they said on Monday, oh no, we're going to do PMQs. And then this morning they said, well, actually, we could have wrapped up yesterday
1:37:44
We did everything we need to do yesterday. But the Prime Minister was keen to do PMQs today because, number one, they say he's not scared of scrutiny
1:37:50
and number two, he's proud of his Labour government and what it's achieved in its first parliamentary session
1:37:56
in however many years. So it's going on. It's going to start in a few minutes
1:38:01
What's she going to do? What do you think Kerry Badernaut is likely to go in with? She had her fun yesterday, but that ship has docked
1:38:08
So that's one school of thought. She had a load of time in the chamber yesterday
1:38:11
Obviously, she lost that vote, right? We only had 14 Labour MPs voting with her motion
1:38:19
There were obviously tens of other Labour MPs who didn't register a vote. There's another school of thought that actually she might go on Mandelson again or have a few questions on Peter Mandelson, Lord Mandelson
1:38:30
because all of those Labour MPs who voted against the motion, voted with the government
1:38:38
they might want to make a big thing of this ahead of next week, ahead of those crucial set of elections
1:38:43
and basically make the case, as Kemi Badenock has done on social media in the last few hours
1:38:50
that 333 Labour MPs, it is a disgrace that they chose to be complicit in a cover-up
1:38:57
And basically kind of try and stir that ahead of next week
1:39:02
and basically make the case that all of those Labour MPs in all of those places voted for a cover-up
1:39:08
And there is discomfort. There is anger on the Labour benches, actually
1:39:13
about being forced into this position at all. And some people, you know, do think it's party political games
1:39:19
Lots of people think it's party political games. But they still think that the Prime Minister got them into this situation in the first place
1:39:24
So I think it is possible that we could hear her go on that for that reason
1:39:28
Although, as you say, it does seem to many people that it has been put to bed
1:39:34
or at least this late... Six questions on that, do you think? I don't think six questions on that. What else, then
1:39:38
Well, there could be questions on, so tangentially related to that, is Sir Keir Starmer too weak to sack the people who voted against him
1:39:46
We could have, is he too weak to not bring Angela Rayner back
1:39:52
Is there a place for people like Angela Rayner in government who don't pay their taxes
1:39:56
You could have some line of attack on that because there's a report this morning that Keir Starmer may bring her back
1:40:02
and privately offered her a job, apparently, and that could happen as early as next weekend in the days after those set of elections too
1:40:10
Hang on, let's cross now and find out what is actually going to happen. Thank you. It's the end of this session and what a contrast with the beginning, Mr Speaker
1:40:19
Back in July 2024, those benches were full of sycophantic questions from adoring new MPs
1:40:27
Yesterday, the prime minister was reduced to begging those same MPs to save his own skin
1:40:38
Mr. Speaker, he's broken his promise to grow the economy. The only thing that's grown is the welfare bill
1:40:45
The only thing that's grown is the welfare bill. So can the Prime Minister tell us, can the Prime Minister tell us how many more people are out of work and claiming universal credit since he took office
1:41:00
Mr Speaker, she talks about what we've done in Tosh and Tosh, raising people out of work
1:41:06
We have the youth guarantee that we've put in place for young people
1:41:10
We've raised the national minimum wage thanks to our Chancellor. we've helped young people into work by cutting NHS waiting lists
1:41:17
thanks to the work of the health secretary we've put more police on the streets thanks to the work of the home secretary
1:41:23
and we've cut energy bills for young people thanks to the work of the energy
1:41:27
I'm very proud what this Labour government has delivered in the first session of this parliament
1:41:30
Mr Speaker the Prime Minister doesn't want to say how many people
1:41:38
how many more people in fact are out of work and claiming universal credit since he took office
1:41:42
Perhaps he doesn't know. So let me tell him, the number is 1.5 million people
1:41:50
That is the entire population of Leeds, Cardiff and Edinburgh put together
1:41:57
Hardworking people are being taxed more and more to pay for a ballooning benefits bill
1:42:03
So can the Prime Minister tell us why on his watch for the first time ever we are now spending more on welfare than we earn in income tax
1:42:15
Mr Speaker, the welfare system she complains of is the one they put in place
1:42:20
Mr Speaker, we are reforming it to improve it. And what did they do when we put that forward
1:42:30
They voted to keep the same broken welfare system. Mr. Speaker, that answer was as honest as his reason for sacking Ollie Robbins
1:42:40
Perhaps he'd like to apologise for that right now. Let me tell him why we're spending more on welfare than we're earning in tax
1:42:49
It's because of him and his terrible policies. This is all under him
1:42:53
We are spending so much on welfare, we cannot afford to defend the country
1:42:58
And if he won't listen to me, Mr Speaker, perhaps he'll listen to the former Labour Defence Secretary, Lord Robertson
1:43:06
who is saying, and I quote, we cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget
1:43:13
I agree with Lord Robertson. Why doesn't he? Mr Speaker, this is the Labour government that increased defence spending, the highest sustained spend since the Cold War
1:43:26
What did they do, Mr Speaker? When they came into power, defence spending was 2.5%
1:43:32
and when they left power, it was 2.3%. And even their own Secretary of State admitted
1:43:39
they hollowed out our armed forces. So we'll take no lectures from them on defence
1:43:45
Mr Speaker, talking about more defence spending is not the same as giving more money for defence
1:43:51
He has been in office for nearly two years, Mr Speaker. What he does have, he's got a welfare plan until 2031, but he's not produced a defence investment plan
1:44:03
We have gone backwards on defence under him because we are borrowing
1:44:07
We are borrowing to pay for welfare. Yesterday, we learned that the cost of government borrowing is now the highest in two decades
1:44:18
That's under him. Instead of getting a grip on the economy, the Chancellor is briefing out rent controls to curry favour
1:44:26
Curry favour with left-wing back ventures. This is not a serious way to run the economy
1:44:33
It is time the Prime Minister gives her an easier job. So will he listen to businesses, listen to the country and reshuffle the Chancellor
1:44:43
Mr Speaker, at the spring statement, the Chancellor is very proud to say inflation was down to 3% and falling
1:44:49
six interest rates in a cut. We seen the growth figures for the early part of this year And she says well the cost of borrowing gone up Yes because there a conflict in iran and what did she want to do what did she want to do when when i said we wouldn be dragged into
1:45:09
that wall because i thought through the consequences including the economic consequences what did she
1:45:14
do she said we should jump in with both feet without regard to the consequences she can't
1:45:20
complain now about the implications. Mr. Speaker, I didn't hear him say he's not
1:45:26
reshuffling the Chancellor. It sounds like she's toast. Meanwhile, the former deputy
1:45:33
prime minister is on manoeuvres. This government is like a bad episode of Game of Thrones. His
1:45:39
own people have turned against him and all the while the prime minister is holed up in
1:45:43
his castle, wetting himself about a visit from the king in the north. Yesterday, Mr
1:45:48
Speaker, yesterday, one Labour MP actually said that his days are numbered. That's one of them. I
1:45:56
wonder who it was because they're all looking guilty as hell. Isn't the real reason, Mr Speaker
1:46:02
isn't the real reason, Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, isn't the real reason the prime minister can't cut welfare
1:46:12
that he squandered all his political capital saving his own skin? Mr Speaker, she talks about political games. That's what she was doing yesterday
1:46:22
This House considered our motion and rejected it decisively, because everyone saw it for what it was
1:46:28
a desperate, baseless political stunt ahead of the May elections. And Mr Speaker, whilst she and they were playing games here, I was chairing a meeting in Cobra
1:46:40
going through the contingencies and managing our war in the Middle East
1:46:44
Mr Speaker, they think little games here is more important than managing the implications
1:46:50
of the war in the Middle East which will affect every single one of their constituents
1:46:55
and none of them ask any questions about it, none of them want to debate it
1:46:58
they just want to debate silly political stunts because Mr Speaker, even though we didn't join the war, no thanks to her
1:47:08
my duty is to protect the British public from the consequences and nothing is going to distract me from what matters to the British public
1:47:18
Mr Speaker, I think the whole country is sick of this man's tone deaf, pompous moralising
1:47:25
Last week, last week, last week, last week, we all saw him punch the Speaker's chair
1:47:38
This is not a man who is in control. Since the last King's speech, it's been one disaster after another
1:47:46
Cronyism. Jobs for friends of convicted paedophiles. Peerages for other friends of convicted paedophiles
1:47:54
Broken promises on taxes. U-turn after U-turn after U-turn. He's lost a deputy prime minister, two chiefs of staff, two cabinet secretaries
1:48:03
the support of his backbenches and all his credibility. Yes. Yes, yes
1:48:09
Mr Speaker, they can jeer as much as they like. They're going to have to go to their constituencies
1:48:15
and explain to all those people why they did what they did last night
1:48:19
The fact is the Prime Minister was reduced to whipping his MPs to save him
1:48:24
and pleading with a tax dodger to rejoin his cabinet. How much longer do we all have to put up with his shambles
1:48:32
Mr Speaker, I changed my party and I won a general election
1:48:40
She's changed her party, Mr Speaker, because when I became leader of my party
1:48:44
their party was three times the size it is now. She's changed it
1:48:49
It's now even smaller than when she started at leader because half of them are up there
1:48:55
And Mr Speaker, the stunt they played yesterday because they don't like what we're delivering
1:49:01
More rights at work. More security for renters, lifting half a million children out of poverty
1:49:07
That's our mandate, that's our mission, and nothing's going to hold us back
1:49:14
It was 18 months ago, I remember, that my late friend Terry Etherton was sitting up there
1:49:21
beaming down at the Prime Minister because he had just announced the government scheme to give compensation to those who had been wrongly sacked from the armed forces for simply being gay
1:49:32
But I have a constituent, Mr Speaker, who lost his job in MI6 in the 1980s for his sexuality
1:49:39
and he's got no compensation. The security services also put their lives on the risk, on the line for their country
1:49:45
It's just not fair. Would the Prime Minister find the time to sit down with my constituent and me
1:49:50
so that we can work out together a way in which we can extend Terry's scheme
1:49:54
so that the security services can also get justice? Prime Minister. Can I thank her for her dedicated work on this
1:50:03
I am very proud of the work we've done to recognise LGBT veterans
1:50:08
Mr Speaker, on top of that, people in our security service are some of the bravest and most talented professionals who served our country
1:50:16
That some of them lost their jobs because of their sexuality is a historic wrong
1:50:22
And I can confirm today the security minister is assessing this closely
1:50:26
and I'll make sure that she's updated and has the meetings she's asked for. Is that David, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
1:50:32
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Yesterday, we heard Christian Turner, Peter Mandelson's replacement as U.S. Ambassador
1:50:40
say that the only country Trump has a special relationship with is Israel
1:50:46
that the Prime Minister's job is in danger after next week's elections
1:50:50
and that in the U.S., Jeffrey Epstein's associates have evaded responsibility for their actions
1:50:56
The Prime Minister has had to fire one US ambassador for lying
1:51:02
Does he fear he'll now have to fire a second one for telling the truth? Mr Speaker, given what I've had thrown at me in the last two weeks by all the opposition parties
1:51:13
that's the least of my problems. But Mr Speaker, I know he likes stunts, but I was surprised he joined in the one yesterday
1:51:20
Because his own business spokesman said last week, satisfied I had not misled the House
1:51:25
He of course, his opening position was It was inconceivable that officials would give clearance to Mandelson
1:51:31
And not tell ministers it was against the UK SV recommendation That's what he said
1:51:35
And it didn't happen I expect frivolous accusations from the leader of the opposition
1:51:40
Clearly I was wrong to expect anything better From the man in the wetsuit
1:51:45
Mr. Speaker, I've got my dry suit on today
1:52:07
And let me tell the Prime Minister that when Boris Johnson was faced with that motion
1:52:17
he didn't whip his MPs. There was a difference there. And Mr Speaker experts are warning that food prices will rise by 10 this year as farmers costs soar
1:52:36
Trump's war has exposed how weak Britain's food security is. Yet under the system brought in by the Conservatives, England is the only country in Europe where farm payments don't actively support farmers to produce food
1:52:53
So will the King's speech include a good food bill to fix that mistake and make sure people can afford the food they need
1:53:05
Mr Speaker, of course food security is important and that's why I was considering that amongst other issues in the ministerial meetings yesterday in COBRA
1:53:17
That's what I was spending my afternoon doing, making sure that we were prepared and managing the risks of a conflict that will affect every single one of our constituents
1:53:26
What was he doing? He was wasting his time in here on a baseless allegation on engaging a party political
1:53:33
He should have been working on the single most important issue of the day, but he wasted his time on a baseless political stunt
1:53:40
Chris Hinchfliv. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The war in Iran has exposed how dangerously reliable we are on invoices fuel fuel
1:54:13
of the public. Two people stabbed according to the Jewish charity Sean Rim and a man has
1:54:19
been arrested. Fraser Knight is on his way there now so we will be able to bring you
1:54:23
the very latest as we have it. The time now is 12.16. James O'Brien on LBC
1:54:29
12.18 is the time you are listening to James O'Brien on LBC where we
1:54:35
um, well I don't even know where to start on that. Do you
1:54:40
I think fractious was the right word. That was the word he used just before the book. But between all of them as well, I thought that, you know, he's clearly getting a bit rattled
1:54:47
She's being very personal, all this stuff about wetting yourself. Maybe I'm showing my age
1:54:52
Good Lord, that's never happened to me before. Never. No, I mean it, actually. How old is Cammie Bader-Not
1:54:57
About 10 years younger than me? I reckon she's probably in her 40s. Yeah, maybe that is it
1:55:01
Maybe, oh God, I've become that person. I don't think that you should be at PMQ saying things like wetting yourself
1:55:07
No, I think that's probably a reasonable position. It's not because I'm 54 and a half
1:55:11
No, no, I don't think so. Well, you're very kind. And then Keir Starmer, obviously not being vulgar
1:55:16
but being personal, when he described Ed Davey as the man in the wetsuit
1:55:21
maybe on a different day I'd have found that amusing, but it just seemed a bit of a shame that they're all engaging in schoolyard jibes
1:55:29
at a time when, you know, the country is struggling, suffering. Well, I think you could definitely, definitely tell
1:55:35
that we are less than a week away from those... School burling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
1:55:39
Yeah, a set of elections. And I think we, I'm sure we've had this conversation before, but you often watch PMQs and think, who is the audience for this
1:55:46
And you can sort of work out exactly what they're going to clip and put on social media while it's going on
1:55:52
Like when Kemi Badenock was accusing him of being tone deaf and moralising and talking about, as we actually predicted
1:56:01
talking about those Labour MPs, 300 odd Labour MPs who voted with the government yesterday
1:56:07
saying that they would all have to explain why they voted with the government to their constituents too
1:56:14
Well, just to be clear, what is she accusing him of? Well, she's accusing Labour MPs of a cover-up over the fact that they didn't want to refer Sir Keir Starmer
1:56:24
to the Privileges Committee over whether or not he misled the House on two counts
1:56:29
But we've just had the Foreign Affairs Select Committee looking into that and including fairly clearly that he didn't
1:56:36
Well, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee is looking into it. I don't think they've concluded anything yet, but the vote..
1:56:40
But the evidence we've heard was that he didn't do anything dishonest
1:56:44
If he did in any way mislead the House, he did so unknowingly, because none of these people had told him about the stuff that is, I mean, a very, very hot potato for him and a big problem for him to deal with
1:56:54
But the only person who's saying that he knew something other than what he said is currently Cami Baden-Ot
1:56:59
None of the civil servants have confirmed that accusation or allegation. They haven't confirmed it, but as we heard yesterday, I think there are grey areas
1:57:07
And I think, you know, we heard from Sir Philip Barton yesterday, who did not want to answer the question about whether or not all due process was followed
1:57:14
That is obviously, you know, you can probably argue that either way, and there are definitely evidence in the for and against column
1:57:20
But even if it were to be shown that it hadn't, that doesn't mean that Keir Starmer knew it hadn't when he said it to the House of Commons
1:57:26
This is a crucial difference between knowingly misleading the House, which is covered by the codes, and not knowingly misleading
1:57:32
unknowingly misleading. Yes. And then there's a semantic dispute. I just want to make
1:57:36
sure the story's not moved since I last had this conversation. Because
1:57:40
then there's a, what it all boils down to is whether or not
1:57:44
you agree on the meanings of due and process. Yes. Really. And what was the other thing? You agree on the
1:57:50
meaning of, there's another one. Whether or not there was pressure. Yeah, pressure. Pressure exerted. Down, down, down
1:57:54
down, down, down. So that's it. So we're still in that semantic swamp. I grant
1:57:58
you, it is a swamp. Yes. But nothing has been clarified since yesterday when most of the key players either declined to answer questions
1:58:04
or confirm that there's no way Keir Starmer could have told the house something that he didn't know
1:58:08
That's exactly where we are. That is exactly where we are. Because you wouldn't know that
1:58:12
reading some of our newspapers today. That is where we are and obviously Labour
1:58:16
MPs decided last night to vote with the government 335 Labour MPs decided
1:58:24
to vote with the government and so he is not going to be referred. Kemi Badeknock's argument
1:58:29
And there was some briefing that actually, she didn't really care whether or not they won the vote last night or not
1:58:34
but actually... That's pantomime. It works. Political pantomime can be an effective thing, but that's what it was
1:58:38
Well, exactly. And as I said, she posted on social media, basically saying that they needed to justify this
1:58:44
and Keir Starmer threatened his MPs with the loss of their jobs. And you saw a bit more of that, her talking about that today
1:58:49
The response was him talking about the fact that he changed his party, and probably the best gag of PMQs, or the bit we heard of it
1:58:55
was when he responded that he changed his party on a general election
1:58:59
she changed his party, but it was now smaller, which lightened the mood in the comments for a moment
1:59:07
There were also questions about whether or not, a couple of questions, whether or not he was going to reshuffle the Chancellor
1:59:12
after those elections too, which he didn't answer. He didn't quite answer it, but there was a lot in those questions
1:59:21
so I'm not sure how much we should read into that, and I'll definitely be listening to the Prime Minister's spokesperson
1:59:26
speaking after Prime Minister's questions when I'm sure there'll be questions about that too
1:59:30
because, of course, there have been reports about that. And, you know, him, Kemmy Badenowck
1:59:35
then saying it was like a bad episode of Game of Thrones
1:59:38
One Labour MP, she said yesterday, his days were numbered. Well, a lot of them do think that
1:59:43
and she said that they all look as guilty as hell and also asked about welfare
1:59:48
which is a really hot-button issue, you know, across all the parties
1:59:53
but really difficult for Labour MPs too because of course last July there was this huge rebellion
1:59:58
and they failed to push this through. Yes. And then Ed Davey
2:00:02
And then Ed Davey, yes. This is a bit of a... I mean, it was never a bromance
2:00:06
because, of course, they'd be fighting for the same seats come the general election and earlier electoral battles
2:00:12
But it's certainly a lot chillier, this relationship, than it was previously
2:00:17
I actually don't think you're far off with bromance. They definitely, at the start of this parliament
2:00:21
they really did feel like they were on a similar page. And Ed Davey asked much more pleasant questions
2:00:28
But no, I think you're right. And of course, he was involved in that yesterday
2:00:34
in trying to refer Sir Keir Starmer to the Privileges Committee. He asked about those comments from the ambassador
2:00:40
the US ambassador, Christian Turner, and basically said, we had to fire one ambassador because he was lying
2:00:48
Are you now going to have to fire Christian Turner for telling the truth on his comments on the special relationship
2:00:52
and how the special relationship was with Israel rather than the UK
2:00:56
Sir Keir Starmer sort of brushed that off and said that was the least of his problems
2:01:00
Well, because we're not really in that conversation. If it said the special relationship for the United Kingdom is with Israel
2:01:06
then Ed Davey might have some point to pursue. But he's describing something over which Kirsten has absolutely no influence
2:01:12
I could see why he was so relaxed about that, but not why he then went for the pejorative
2:01:16
He went for the ad hominem. Indeed. Well, I think with that
2:01:22
I mean, there are people who think it is surprising that Christian Turner hasn't been sacked, and other people think those comments were sort of fair enough
2:01:28
and actually aren't that damaging. So a pupil at a school recorded him surreptitiously
2:01:32
and gave the tape to the Financial Times. There are differing schools of thought
2:01:36
on how exactly that recording was leaked, but what we do know is it was recorded in February
2:01:41
and only got leaked this week. So it obviously was deployed to the Financial Times
2:01:47
for maximum damage during the state visit. Yes, indeedy. And that's it now. How long are they off for
2:01:54
Well, they've got their local elections next week, next Thursday and then the King's speech is the following week
2:02:01
So, a couple of weeks, a couple of weeks, and they've got obviously a lot to do. All of them have got a lot to do during that time
2:02:06
because they'll all be campaigning. Indeed they will. So, I mean, we're breaking for the council elections
2:02:13
We're not breaking for any other sort of calendar reason or anything like that. So we've got one day next week
2:02:19
when we won't be allowed really to talk about politics at all and then normal service will be resumed
2:02:23
but not for the MPs until the week after the week after. Yeah, so now it's going to be, Parliament's going to be prorogued
2:02:29
and that's basically the act of closing the parliamentary year. Legislation is done, and then they'll have to have a King's speech the week after next
2:02:36
and sort of reintroduce all of that legislation. And that's it. We brought it in two minutes light this week
2:02:43
which kind of speaks to the fact that there wasn't a very substantive PMQs
2:02:47
But, I mean, I suppose it was, what was it, a score draw or a nil-nil draw, that one
2:02:52
I think nil-nil. Nil-nil-nil. with a side order of fractiousness with an unpleasant sort of air of
2:02:58
anger and sort of, it's not nitpicking is it, it's a kind of personal
2:03:04
real dislike now growing up between Baden-Ock and Starmer I think you mentioned, you or Natasha mentioned
2:03:12
that, I wasn't convinced at the time that it was entirely mutual but I think it is becoming
2:03:16
more and more mutual and then Davy sticking the oar in and
2:03:20
adding a sort of third point of the triangle to the animosity was the word I was looking for
2:03:26
thank you Aggie Shumbray, great stuff I won't be seeing you now for a few weeks or for a couple of weeks
2:03:31
unless there's some big breaking well of course we've got the council elections next week so we'll see you then but not to cover PMQs
2:03:36
28 minutes after 12 is the time you are listening to James O'Brien on LBC
2:03:40
Simon Marks is scheduled to join us before the end of the programme
2:03:44
to provide us with a stateside perspective on what has happened in the
2:03:50
United States over the course of the last 36 hours or so
2:03:56
Even if you think you know, then the Simon Marks dispatch will always add to your understanding
2:04:03
if not to the gaiety of your entire existence. And then we're going to be joined by a writer called Hetty O'Brien
2:04:09
no relation, who has turned her attention to one of the subjects that I am enduringly fascinated by
2:04:16
In fact, she has written a book about it. The book is called The Asset Class
2:04:20
and it looks at how private equity, one of my pet subjects, isn't it
2:04:24
In fact, I went off on one the other day about how they do not buy things in order to improve them
2:04:30
Whether it's a restaurant chain or a water company, they buy things in order to literally squeeze
2:04:34
as much money as they possibly can out of whatever institution it is
2:04:39
from a children's care home, as I say, right through to a water company
2:04:44
And the other thing I said to you either last week, in fact, if you can find me saying this
2:04:48
I'll give you a biscuit. I said to you to keep a very, very close eye on any politicians in this country
2:04:54
who were found to have taken serious sums of money from cryptocurrency tycoons
2:05:00
Just looking at what's happened in the United States of America, reports this morning about one of Donald Trump's sons making a fortune from such a scheme
2:05:07
while his original investors appear to have lost money. I said to you, for no particular reason, except watching the United States
2:05:15
look out for UK politicians taking serious sums of cash. either on political donation level or, God forbid, as personal gifts from cryptocurrency tycoons
2:05:27
And that warning or that prediction has come to fruition much, much sooner than I expected it to
2:05:35
And I want to stress, I had no idea who it was going to involve when I issued that warning
2:05:40
Matt Hewitt is here now with your headlines. James O'Brien on LBC
2:05:44
It is 12.32 and it was roughly this time yesterday that we were talking to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, about the London suburb of Golders Green, an area where a memorial wall to victims of the Iranian regime was subject to suspected arson, but which also, given the large and long-standing Jewish community, has become, tragically, a focus of anti-Semitism as well
2:06:11
and that observation has been both confirmed and it would appear escalated in the course of the last few minutes
2:06:19
I'm joined now by the LBC reporter Guy Stewart for the very latest on reports that two Jewish men have been stabbed in Golders Green
2:06:30
What do we know? So we are hearing from the Jewish charity Shomer M. James
2:06:35
which acts essentially as a neighbourhood watch charity for the Jewish community
2:06:39
who have given us this breaking news that two men have been stabbed in Golders Green
2:06:45
We're told a man was seen running down a road there holding a knife
2:06:51
and subsequently had allegedly stabbed these two people. We're told this individual was tasered and subsequently arrested by the police
2:07:01
Now, as I say, this is what we're hearing from Shomran themselves. We have put a request into the Metropolitan Police
2:07:07
We'll be bringing a statement from them as soon as possible But working on information from the charity
2:07:13
And what we're reading on social media Appears to be an incredibly serious incident in Golders Green With at least two members were told of the Jewish community having been stabbed It being called a targeted attack on the Jewish community and one man being tasered and then arrested
2:07:31
I think the BBC has confirmed the stabbing, stabbing's plural, and reported that the victims are being treated at the moment for serious injuries
2:07:42
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has issued a statement in the last few seconds saying we are aware of a reported stabbing incident in Golders Green with two injured. The police have
2:07:51
apprehended a suspect. We are liaising with the CST, that's the Community Security Trust
2:07:57
government and police to understand what has happened and ensure a forceful response
2:08:03
which is pretty much all the available details at the moment, although they will do nothing to
2:08:08
assuage fears in that community and beyond. Indeed not. I mean, it was just yesterday
2:08:14
as you said, you were speaking to Sadiq Khan about the rise in attacks on the Jewish community in
2:08:21
London. And yesterday it was on a memorial wall dedicated to people killed by the Iranian regime
2:08:28
We know that the Metropolitan Police has put their officers on high alert in communities around
2:08:34
London because of these kinds of incidents taking place. This is some of what Sadiq Khan told you
2:08:41
yesterday, James, he says it's really important to say to anyone who is of the Jewish faith
2:08:47
not of the Jewish faith, really regardless of their identity or what they believe in
2:08:53
now is the time to show allyship, friendship and understanding with how our Jewish friends
2:08:58
and neighbours are feeling. And that will be a key message we're likely to hear again today with
2:09:04
yet more really horrific news for the Jewish community in London and Londoners to hear of
2:09:11
violence taking place on the streets of the capital. I've also got a tweet in front of me from the Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp
2:09:21
who's described this as yet another appalling anti-Semitic attack. He says the Jewish community are not being properly protected from this hate
2:09:30
He says we have seen Iran sponsoring anti-Semitic attacks and Islamist extremism run rampant
2:09:36
He's also said the government must urgently step up tangible actions against anti-Semitism, Iran and Islamist extremism
2:09:46
We of course know this is an issue that the government and ministers are well aware of
2:09:51
Following the terrorist attack on the synagogue in Manchester last year The government did announce that it was going to increase funding for both Jewish community and religious sites
2:10:03
as well as the Muslim community in Britain, tens of millions of pounds
2:10:08
What we've been hearing from people in the Jewish community, though, that provides perhaps some helpful understanding
2:10:12
is that that money is only just flowing into their pockets now
2:10:17
being put into use to bolster security. And while that's happening in the background
2:10:21
of course you do have international affairs beginning to have a very direct impact
2:10:26
with the community here in Britain as well. And we should probably mention
2:10:32
although I don't imagine Chris Philp is party to any information that the rest of us are not
2:10:38
But LBC reported yesterday that the Iranian embassy in the UK had been recruiting expats
2:10:43
And I'm not putting this in the realms of speculation about what has happened in Golders Green
2:10:47
I'm just providing a little bit of context to what you just said about Iran
2:10:52
The embassy in the UK posted a call to proud compatriots living in the UK on its official Telegram account on April the 15th
2:11:01
It was in Farsi, took a while to reach the English language news
2:11:06
in which the Iranian diaspora was urged to, and I quote, surrender to killing rather than handing over the country to the enemy
2:11:13
and to add another golden leaf to the Book of Honours. The post was viewed thousands of times, we reported yesterday
2:11:20
and had received almost 400 heart reactions, 28 thumbs up, and 27 prayer emoji reactions at the time of publishing
2:11:29
So, I mean, almost inadequate words to describe a ramping up of concern
2:11:34
but you have a diplomatic intervention, if you like, an embassy intervention on British soil
2:11:43
And if there were to be any evidence whatsoever of links between the two
2:11:47
then there would almost certainly be questions to be answered. 12.39 is the time
2:11:53
Neil Bassu, the former assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police Police and, of course, latterly co-host of the global podcast The Crime Agents has joined
2:12:02
us on the line. What will be happening operationally now, Neil? The first reports came in from the Jewish sort of neighborhood watch organization and
2:12:13
Metropolitan Police would have been the second to know what happens when that action stations
2:12:19
is activated. Oh, I don't know if we've got a clear line to Neil Basu at the moment
2:12:30
We'll try and rectify that. Imminently, Keir Starmer has already been made aware of the situation
2:12:36
It is deeply concerning to everyone in this House. There is now a police investigation
2:12:43
and I think we all need to do everything we can to support that investigation and be absolutely clear in our determination to deal with any of these offences
2:12:53
the like of which we've seen too much recently. Keir Starmer, they were just being made aware
2:12:58
of reports of two people being stabbed in the North London suburb of Golders Green
2:13:03
it would appear and eyewitnesses are reporting that there was a very, very deliberate
2:13:09
targeting of the Jewish community and it is indeed two Jewish men
2:13:14
who have very sadly been stabbed with, we're being told serious injuries
2:13:20
let's try again for Neil Basu the former Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police
2:13:24
can you hear me, Neil? yes good afternoon james i can hear you thank you for your time what would be happen what will be
2:13:31
happening now operationally as a jewish neighborhood watch organization the first to report this event and then of course the metropolitan police going to action stations
2:13:41
immediately what would action stations involve well there'd be a first-line response which i
2:13:47
think i've i've literally just taken a phone call from a mutual journalist colleague
2:13:51
saying that police officers did respond to the Shomrim's request and turned up and tasered a suspect
2:13:58
So you've immediately got multiple crime scenes and my heart goes out to the victims and their families
2:14:02
and the entire Jewish community in that area. I policed it for four years as their borough commander
2:14:07
I know them very well and I'm very close with the Community Security Trust
2:14:12
the Shomrim and Hat Solo who've been targeted recently. So I don't think anyone in the Jewish community
2:14:17
or certainly in national security will actually be surprised, particularly after the Heaton Park Synagogue attack, that this was coming
2:14:27
So there'd be an immediate first response to secure all of the crime scenes
2:14:31
including any evidence from the victims. And there will be a call into the Counterterrorism Police London control room and they will be dispatching detectives and forensic medical teams to do precisely that and to obviously detain and question the suspect And again there is of course
2:14:50
a very real possibility that these two strands are not related but there's also a suspicion that
2:14:57
there might be. What would be going on currently with regards to, one of your former colleagues was
2:15:01
talking to Nick Ferrari about it earlier this week or late last week, with regards to these sort of
2:15:05
online recruitment campaigns for sort of Iranian government forces almost deliberately, clearly conflating events in the Middle East with the Jewish community
2:15:18
Jewish people here conflating Israel with the Jewish community, and almost sort of signing up, I think your former colleague might have used the word thugs
2:15:25
signing up thugs to commit crimes in response for relative pittances of money
2:15:31
That's presumably almost or very, very difficult to investigate. It is very difficult to investigate
2:15:38
It's a bit like the single initiated terrorist that we get today
2:15:43
I think he used the expression folks for hire. So this is the kind of hybrid warfare that a state would use
2:15:49
where a state doesn't have the power to declare war on an opponent that's too strong
2:15:54
So wants to do things to destabilise a society. And that's precisely the kind of technique they could use
2:16:01
Now, I've got no inside knowledge, but my colleagues in national security will spend an awful lot of time looking for people who are mobilising
2:16:09
and looking through chains of various encrypted groups, the use of undercover online officers
2:16:16
You know, the people who are doing this kind of thing, and my colleague described it brilliantly
2:16:21
will be facing very, very long sentences for the most severe criminal acts for what will have been a pittance
2:16:28
would have been, you know, we're taking no risk whatsoever and having no backing from the governments who sponsored them
2:16:34
who will retreat back into the shadows. So, yes, it's difficult to investigate
2:16:39
but it's very much very high on the priority list of counter-terrorism policing and MI5
2:16:44
I mean, it's odd in a way, isn't it, that this... Hopefully, this incident is over
2:16:49
although, obviously, the condition of the two stabbed men is going to be of paramount concern for the... Absolutely
2:16:55
..for the coming hours and quite possibly days. but it shows us what the broader picture is
2:17:03
Even if this is a sort of lone attack, a lone character acting independently
2:17:09
this growing sense of poison being sown online in specific response to the unfolding situation in Iran
2:17:18
is very, very hard to get on top of. I mean, it's not just a moving target
2:17:24
but it's often an invisible one. well it shows how important it is that people like you and i but also our political leaders
2:17:32
our influencers our social media commentators how important it is to be incredibly careful
2:17:37
about the things we say i've been talking with other journalists this morning about the crime
2:17:42
policing bill and the protest conditions within that we have a tremendous problem with hateful
2:17:48
extremism and our inability of law enforcement to know where that line is because the area is so
2:17:54
grey between freedom of speech and it seems for some people the freedom to say and to do anything
2:18:00
no matter what it incites so this ridiculous comparison between criticizing a government
2:18:06
very far away for the actions they're taking in a war zone very far away and deliberately targeting
2:18:11
an individual walking around innocently on the streets of london is is ridiculous but is being
2:18:16
conflated by some of those very irresponsible commentators powerfully put neil basu thank you
2:18:21
very much in the 12 actually while i still have you just a quick word have we got on on your days
2:18:27
as the borough commander in that area for people who've never been to to golders green or to the
2:18:32
sort of heavily jewish parts of cities like manchester that there is a level of security
2:18:37
some of itself started that would be unfamiliar to most people living in this country and it is
2:18:43
precisely in expectation of or in fear of events like this we hear about barbed wire fences at
2:18:49
schools and things like that. Just paint a quick picture, if you can, of what a normal life is like
2:18:55
under that sense of threat and indeed dread. Well, I think people think that members of the
2:19:01
Jewish community who come on programmes like this and talk about the fear they feel that they are
2:19:06
being overdramatic in a country like the United Kingdom, I'll tell you, knowing them very well
2:19:10
that they are understating the fear that they feel. Bear in mind that every time they go and pray
2:19:15
Every time they congregate at a synagogue, their journey to and from that synagogue will often be accompanied by members of the Community Security Trust
2:19:23
basically a private security firm in high visibility jackets, stewarding your ability to go and pray at your own place of worship
2:19:31
They will do the same thing for their children. Their children's schools are locked down and they have the kind of entry systems that you wouldn't normally see in law enforcement and military establishments
2:19:41
that's the kind of fear they're living under and it's never been more heightened than in the last 10 years
2:19:46
Neil Bassi, thank you very much indeed. 12.47 is the time. If you're just joining us, some breaking news
2:19:51
from the north London suburb of Golders Green where two Jewish men have been stabbed
2:19:56
in what absolutely appears to be an anti-Semitic attack. Their injuries have been described as serious
2:20:04
although the suspect has been tasered by the Metropolitan Police. Fraser Knight is on his way there as we speak
2:20:12
and will join us live from the scene after this. The time now is 12.47
2:20:17
James O'Brien on LBC. 50 is the time you are listening to James O'Brien on LBC
2:20:24
where we are devoting all of our energies at the moment to covering the stabbing of two Jewish men in North London
2:20:30
in Golders Green, in what appears to be an anti-Semitic attack. The suspect has been tasered by the Metropolitan Police and apprehended
2:20:37
But as the mayor of London suggested to us on this programme yesterday, these are events, or this is an event
2:20:43
in which the Jewish communities in this country live in almost constant fear
2:20:48
Fraser Knight has hot-footed his way to Golders Green, and he joins us from there now
2:20:53
Fraser, what can you tell us? Well, James, I've just arrived here right next to Brentfrost Station in north-west London
2:21:01
There's a huge police cordon in place, lots and lots of emergency service vehicles as well
2:21:06
both police and ambulance, right in an area, of course, where we saw just a few weeks ago the
2:21:13
arson attack on Jewish ambulances, and then just on Monday, another arson attack on a memorial wall
2:21:20
nearby. What do we know that's happened here? Well, we're told that two men have been stabbed
2:21:26
in what appears to be a clearly anti-Semitic attack. I am told by an eyewitness that they
2:21:33
saw a man with a knife running down the street. He stabbed one person, they say, near to a synagogue
2:21:39
before then heading further down Golders Green Road, where they say he attacked another man
2:21:46
Now, we have heard that there was a very quick emergency response to this
2:21:52
and the suspect was first knocked down by a vehicle with the Jewish security team in there
2:21:59
and then Metropolitan Police officers arrived where we told that they tasered the suspect and now have him in custody Lots still unfolding here It quite a big cordon that in place as well stretching right from the road here
2:22:14
next to Brentfoss Station up to Golders Green Road and down there as well. Lots of concern
2:22:20
as you say. I've been in this community a few times over the past few weeks, given these attacks
2:22:26
And even just this morning when I was here, people were saying that they are living in fear
2:22:31
The eyewitness that I spoke to said there is no question that this was an attack on the Jewish community
2:22:38
And now, as we know, that suspect in custody and police investigators looking at what's happened here
2:22:45
we understand the two men are being treated for their injuries. Fraser, thank you. We don't know any more about those injuries at the moment, I don't think
2:22:54
At the moment, I don't have any other details. I've seen some video footage which suggests that the second stabbing certainly was a serious one
2:23:03
And I've heard reports that there may have been an air ambulance here
2:23:07
I will work to confirm that, of course, but it's a very serious attack by the looks of it
2:23:13
Thank you. Fraser Knight reporting live from Golders Green, where two men have been stabbed in what appears to be an avowedly anti-Semitic attack
2:23:22
I've got a couple of callers on the switchboard. We're just confirming some details
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If they can't talk to me from the scene, then they will probably or hopefully be available to speak to Sheila Fogarty
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when she comes on air. But it speaks to the conditions in which people are living in this country at the moment
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And the reports earlier in the week of Iranian attempts to almost recruit
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what one assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard described as thugs to undertake crimes that they will not be aware of the profundity of
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And that, of course, involves attacks largely on property. We've seen the arson attack upon the Jewish paramedic organisation
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of course, already the ambulances that were destroyed. I have no reason to believe that those bizarre recruitment processes
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have escalated from attacks on property to attacks upon people, but neither would I be surprised by it
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I suppose we all have reason to suspect. And, of course, that wall that Fraser was referring to a moment ago
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is evidence of the sort of harmony and multiculturalism that King Charles was talking about in the speech
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that we were covering earlier in the programme because it is a commemoration of Iranian dissidents
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murdered by the regime in Tehran. And that community, that diaspora, that community
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has lived in alongside and in harmony with the Jewish community in Golders Green
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1254 is the time. I mean, Alex is there in Golders Green
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but even more than that, Alex, you are a rabbi in the area
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and therefore not just dealing with your own personal reactions to this horror
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but also preparing, I presume, to counsel and offer support to members of your congregation
2:25:19
Yes, it's right. Hello, James. Thanks for taking my call. I literally came out of a synagogue here in Golders Green
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and again messaging on my phone and hearing, I've heard what's happened, there's been a stabbing in Golders Green
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And once again, an incident like this has kind of raised people's level of fear and anxiety
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People just going about their daily lives and shouldn't have to face these sorts of attacks
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How do you, you know and I know that we can't go into any detail
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about the alleged perpetrator at the moment or the person who has been arrested and some other people
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one or two other people contacting the station who we can't allow to do that either
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But if I could ask you a slightly personal question, how do you, what words of comfort do you offer to a congregation
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at times like this? Because it's not, I'm afraid, an out-of-the-blue scenario, is it
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It's a scenario which you and your congregation will live in constant fear of
2:26:14
Absolutely. I was literally just talking about it in my synagogue on this weekend
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and saying that we cannot ignore the reality of anti-Semitism in this country
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At the same time, we mustn't allow it to define us. We must live our lives proud and resilient to continue
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We must obviously call on all the authorities, do as much as they can, to ensure that we can do that
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And what sort of presence does the Shomrim have in Golders Green on an ordinary day
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It's an organisation that obviously is there in case you need it
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but everybody would be hoping that you never do. Right. Yeah, they have some level of visible presence there
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just to reassure people and obviously to deter sort of casual attacks
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But obviously when something's planned like this and someone's intent on doing damage
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then there's very little you can do to stop it. Indeed. Alex, I'm sure that you have got things to attend to
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and people to support. Before I let you go, what happens now
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I mean, touch wood that the perpetrator is a loan operator and has been contained
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But there'll be gatherings, I presume. Will people be making their way towards synagogue
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in sort of pursuit of a little bit of fellow feeling and community spirit
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Or will you be visiting members of... Go on. The Jewish community in this country is strong
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it's proud, it's resilient, and we will carry on. Obviously, we will take caution to protect ourselves
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but the message is we must be proud, we must carry on. We cannot allow this to define us
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Alex, thank you. Thank you. Well, my condolences to your community, Alex
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they're joining us live from Golders Green, where, as he said himself, he stepped out of his synagogue
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where he is a rabbi, to receive reports of these stabbings. The mayor of London, who, of course, was talking to us yesterday
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about Golders Green, has shared his response. There has been an appalling attack on two Jewish Londoners
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in Golders Green, writes Sadiq Khan. The police have made an arrest, and I'd like to thank all the emergency services and heroic volunteers
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from Hatzala and Shomrim, London, in the area for their swift response to this horrific incident
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Hatzala being the sort of medical providers and Shomrim the security or the sort of
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Neighbourhood Watch squared organisation. I'm in close contact with the Met Police
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right, Sadiq Khan, who will be providing further updates. London's Jewish community has been the target
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of a series of shocking anti-Semitic attacks. There must be absolutely no place for anti-Semitism in society
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The Met have stepped up high visibility patrols in the area. I urge anyone who has any information to call police on 101
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or to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously. The Mayor of London there sharing his response to this grim news from Golders Green
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2:29:03
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2:29:08
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2:29:18
Coming up at four on LBC, it's Tom Swarbrick. But now it's time for Sheila Fogarty
2:29:22
Thank you very much, James. James O'Brien on LBC
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