On July 22nd, James O’Brien—LBC’s self-styled voice of liberal reason—read a listener’s message claiming Jewish children in Britain were taught to view Arabs as “cockroaches to be crushed”.
He did so without challenge, without caveat, and without the editorial caution expected of a broadcaster with his reach.
The backlash was swift. Jewish organisations, educators, and listeners condemned the broadcast as antisemitic and dangerous. Complaints flooded Ofcom, and protestors gathered outside LBC headquarters. Yet O’Brien remains on air.
The Power of the Platform
Live radio isn't a pub chat or a Twitter/X thread. It’s a curated, amplified space where words carry weight. When a broadcaster reads an unverified, inflammatory claim—especially one targeting a minority group—they are not merely sharing; they are endorsing, even if unintentionally.
O’Brien’s apology the next day was an acknowledgment of regret. But regret is not accountability. Editorial oversight is not optional.
A Pattern of Careless Certainty
This isn't an isolated incident. It's part of a troubling pattern of careless self-righteousness, as former Conservative MO Harvey Proctor has bravely laid bare.
In a recently resurfaced video, O’Brien claimed Proctor “lied egregiously” about his private life in 1987—a falsehood, Proctor says, “dressed as righteousness”.
O’Brien, so often the arbiter of truth, has never apologised for his role in amplifying the fraudulent Carl Beech’s grotesque conspiracy theory, which falsely accused Proctor and other public servants of child abuse.
Proctor’s account is harrowing: a police campaign of humiliation and a public shaming that had nothing to do with justice. Yet decades later, O’Brien chose to revive the trauma with smug certainty and no apparent remorse.
The pattern of careless commentary extends beyond his own past.
When his colleague Sangita Myska departed from LBC, O’Brien took to the airwaves to dismiss speculation that she had been removed for a critical interview with an Israeli spokesperson.
He attributed her departure to declining audience figures, declaring that all presenters “stand and fall by their ratings”.
He then accused unnamed individuals of allowing “antisemitic conspiracy theories” to fester through their silence.
Myska’s response was a careful, yet damning, rebuttal. Bound by "extremely onerous and lasting contractual restrictions," she could not discuss the circumstances of her departure. She did, however, clarify that she was not informed in advance, was not allowed to say goodbye, and that her final 16 shows were pulled without her knowledge. Most importantly, she publicly rejected O’Brien’s accusation, calling it “false and deeply upsetting.” The ratings argument was further undermined by RAJAR figures, which reportedly showed a rise in her audience before her removal. Over 100 media professionals signed an open letter expressing concern that robust journalism was being punished.
What Happens Now?
This isn't a call for cancellation. It is a demand for consequence.
Ofcom must investigate LBC's editorial processes, not just the broadcast.
LBC must clarify if disciplinary action is being considered.
Listeners must demand transparency, not just apologies.
The O’Brien incident is a symptom of a deeper problem: the rush to moral certainty and the failure to recognize when a platform becomes a weapon. When broadcasters wield their influence without humility, they don’t just provoke debate—they risk destroying lives.