LBC

"If you looked at how many lesbians there are, it would be massively disproportionate!" Caller Dan believes the 'senior echelons of the police' have been overtaken by 'DEI philosophy'. But @henryriley1.bsky.social points out that there are no lesbian chief constables in the UK...

"We simply don't need as many pubs as we once had." James May tells Nick the 'honest truth' about Britain's boozers.

Nigel Farage urged his supporters to react to Henry Nowak's murder with 'pure, cold rage'. Eleven police officers were injured during unrest in Southampton last night. @mrjamesob.bsky.social asks: 'Is that cold enough for you'?

'You will not regret this...' Shelagh Fogarty and Emily Maitlis react to Mandelson's leaked letter to David Lammy...

"They escorted us off with three armed officers." 13-year-old Mason was barred from a plane because he kept talking about bombs. But Mason has Tourette's Syndrome. His dad tells @shelaghfogarty.bsky.social what happened.

'That's what gave us President Trump.' As Jill Biden reveals she thought her husband was 'having a stroke' during the 2024 presidential debate, @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social reflects on the moment the Democrats 'knew they had to get Joe Biden out'.

“That’s the thing that frustrates me about Starmer.” Caller Joshua tells @tomswarbrick.bsky.social how No. 10 should reply to Tony Blair.

'If I think I'm the best person to lead the country...then I shouldn't fear competition.' Wes Streeting explains why he hasn't yet triggered a leadership election, but tells @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social he is 'in it to win it'.

'This is the result of the public recognising that this was an appalling miscarriage of justice.' As the non-custodial sentence of teen rapists is investigated, @aliciakearns.bsky.social tells @henryriley1.bsky.social that anyone can ask the Attorney General to look into unduly lenient sentences.

❌ His son's wedding ❌ A weekend of golf Donald Trump has cancelled his weekend plans, leading @simonmarksfsn.bsky.social to consider what the President could be preparing for.

"You can't just lock up a 13-year-old forever?" "Yes you can!" Three teenaged rapists have been spared jail. Unsatisfied with the decision, caller Robert outlines his alternative prison system, focused on justice rather than rehabilitation.

Andy Burnham has said land in the UK is 'undertaxed'. Caller Andrew, a business owner, is 'annoyed with the baloney of trickle down economics' - and doesn't see eye to eye with Ali Miraj.

Shiva Chandorkar has had 270 job applications rejected. He tells @jameshansonradio.bsky.social a 'perfect storm' is driving young people out of the workplace and into their bedrooms.

"You need to wake up and be more sympathetic!" Should people with ADHD get given blue parking badges? Eventually, @jameshansonradio.bsky.social and caller Matt reach a consensus.

“Have a bit of perspective mate!" LBC listener Pete backs the Rachel Reeves heckler because the Chancellor is ‘effectively starving people’. @jameshansonradio.bsky.social isn’t having it.

'It is suffering from the refusal of the Labour government to act on its own strategic documentation.' International security expert Keir Giles warns that the British Army is 'lagging so far behind threats'. @matthew-wright.bsky.social

'Never jump to conclusions.' Space expert Greg Smye-Rumsby tells @matthew-wright.bsky.social he hasn't seen anything exciting in the UFO files, adding that it's 'frustrating to never get close-ups'.

'If he moves on, it kind of takes the headlines away from Iran.' As Trump eyes Cuba, US political analyst Charles Feldman notes that it could be a 'deflection' from his 'very unpopular' actions in the Middle East.

"That's what happens when you elect Nigel Farage fans..." @mrjamesob.bsky.social reacts to two new Reform councillors admitting they don't know what they're doing.

'Imagine if a British politician did this to Israelis...' @mrjamesob.bsky.social reacts to Itamar Ben-Gvir posting videos of himself taunting detained activists.

“They just wish he hadn’t filmed it.” Israeli caller Mark tells @mrjamesob.bsky.social how Ben-Gvir’s behaviour is ‘absolutely accepted’ and ‘you have to think of him like a Trump’.

What does Keir Starmer have in common with Joseph Stalin? Ask today's Daily Mail...

'They lost it? How can they lose something so enormous?' @mrjamesob.bsky.social reacts as caller Gareth reveals that he's supplied the 'exact same order' to the same HS2 site three times... and it's £25k a pop.

'Who is the commander-in-chief here? Who is in charge?' @simonmarksfsn.bsky.social notes that Donald Trump went into Iran because of Netanyahu, but now other Middle Eastern countries are telling him to 'still his military'.

'How can it be a betrayal if all the reasons people gave have turned out to be at worst, blatant, barefaced lies? As the Brexit debate is resurrected in the jostle for new Labour leadership, James O'Brien says: 'the desperate narrative of betrayal is back.'

'If you could be back in the single market and back to the days when being publicly racist was career-ending, you would do it, right?' James O'Brien explains the two 'very slow' but 'needed things for this country to begin to get itself back together'.

'Where is the safeguarding response here?' Child marriage survivor Payzee Mahmod has questions about Venezuela Fury getting married at 16.

“Are you on commission!?" @henryriley1.bsky.social hears from the country’s biggest Keir Starmer supporter... Caller Harvey predicts that if we give him another chance, the PM is ready to turn into prime Winston Churchill.

“If I was him I’d get rid of the whole front bench and start from scratch." Caller David emphatically backs Andy Burnham, encouraging him to purge the Cabinet of ‘career politicians’.

"We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field." Wes Streeting confirms he will contest a Labour leadership election.

"They're chicken!" Ali Miraj believes it's 'embarrassing' that no Labour MP has challenged Keir Starmer. Caller Michael disagrees.

‘Why shouldn’t the Americans support China’s drive for reunification, regardless of what people in Taiwan think about it?' After his summit with Xi Jinping, Trump has warned Taiwan against declaring independence. Matt Frei hears from Victor Gao.

Having to call upon Andy Burnham 'says a lot' about the quality within the Labour party, believes Ali Miraj.

“We’re assuming that the great Andy Burnham comes in and changes everything.” Caller Anne doubts a new Labour leader would make a difference. @mrjamesob.bsky.social

‘I’d call them “odd people”, you got that right!’ @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social questions Richard Tice on newly-elected Reform councillors who have already been suspended for misconduct.

'We were sent here to end the chaos we saw under the Conservatives.' After the local elections and Wes Streeting's resignation, Labour's Steve Reed admits to @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social that the party has had 'a terrible and embarrassing week'.

'Didn't you have that conversation two years ago?' ThinkLabour's Alison Phillips says 'people want to see what is going to be different' under Labour. @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social wonders if that was discussed before the last election.

'Do you think there'll be any more resignations?' 'I've got no idea.' @shelaghfogarty.bsky.social questions Baroness Jacqui Smith, as Wes Streeting steps down as Health Secretary.

'He's resigning because he doesn't believe that the Prime Minister has what it takes to lead the Labour Party.' @lewisgoodall.com explains the message conveyed by Wes Streeting in his resignation letter.

'I don't want this turbulence at a time when we need stability and statesman-like direction from a leader that can do it.' Caller Nikki is 'furious' about the rumoured leadership contest within the Labour Party.

'Wind your neck in...it makes you look bad.' Caller Helen wants Wes Streeting to be a 'team player', adding that she is tired of Labour's 'infighting'.

'She said she wouldn't be triggering a leadership election.' As Angela Rayner is cleared by HMRC over her tax affairs, Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray clears the air on whether she would attempt to oust Keir Starmer.

'That's an answer, but my question is: will he still be in that job by the end of today?' Nick Ferrari asks Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray if Wes Streeting will remain Health Secretary.

'We saw what the Tories looked like when they kept having leadership contests...' Labour's Luke Akehurst believes Keir Starmer can 'hold on', adding that a change of leader 'will make a bad situation worse'.

"He is the relatively brave soul prepared to say: 'This can't go on.'" Is Wes Streeting ready to 'go over the top' and challenge Starmer for leadership? Andrew Marr thinks so... and he reckons he's got enough support too.

'You could house 100 homeless people by flogging that jewellery down the pawnbrokers.' @mrjamesob.bsky.social notes the 'cognitive dissonance' of the King talking about housing crises and poverty.

'They don't agree on who should take over and the timeline...' At least 83 Labour MPs want Keir Starmer out. LBC'S Aggie Chambre explains what makes this 'incredibly messy'.

'They've forgotten who they are.' Caller Michael believes 'a socialist' should take over from Keir Starmer, adding that Labour has focused too much on 'winning votes from the right-wing of the world'.

'It's an incredibly shallow thing to say.' What requirements does the next Labour leader need to have? @mrjamesob.bsky.social reckons it's all in the accent.

- 'Lied to the farmers' - 'Ignored the WASPI women' - 'Took away the heating for pensioners' Caller Chris thinks Starmer's speech yesterday was 'word salad and kerfuffle', branding his leadership a 'national and international embarrassment'.

- 'Smack talk' - 'Deliberate stereotyping of the foreign outsider' - 'Blurring the line between fiction and reality' Munya Chawawa breaks down some similarities between the fighting ring and the US President in his new documentary, 'Wrestling with Trump'.

'Ah, there's the second mention of Liz Truss.' 'I'll make it a third, because she blew a hole in our finances.' @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social isn't happy with Labour still 'clinging on' to the mini-budget from 2022, but Business Secretary Peter Kyle insists we need to learn those lessons.

"Did you look at yourself in the mirror and think: 'Why the hell am I doing this?'" @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social puts Labour's Peter Kyle on the spot about having to 'defend the indefensible' idea of a 10-year Starmer premiership.

'Drop the autocue, be authentic.' 'It's Wes Streeting or Angela Rayner. Get a grip, or keep Keir Starmer!' Karl Turner MP 'wants Starmer to be authentic and succeed', and doesn't see how Andy Burnham can become the next Labour leader.

Caller Martin used to vote Tory. But he won’t anymore because of the 'problems' they caused for the country. He tells @henryriley1.bsky.social why he’s now going to vote Reform.

"They can't even do regicide properly! What a joke." @henryriley1.bsky.social can't quite believe the Labour coup has gone into reverse within a day.

"Surely there would have to be a leadership election?" "Not necessarily..." Labour rebel Catherine West has a plan to oust Keir Starmer by mutual consent.

'I am a British Sikh, and I voted for Reform.' Caller Manjeet rejects the 'sanctimonious claptrap' that Reform voters are 'uneducated, illiterate, and racist'. @matthew-wright.bsky.social

'It's not really a ceasefire...effectively this is an armed standoff waiting to explode again.' As the US and Iran trade blows in the Strait of Hormuz, Middle East specialist Edmund Fitton Brown brings his analysis.

Labour’s Kim Johnson calls for Keir Starmer to go.

Reform UK has gained its first council of this year's local elections. Is this a 'Starmer-geddon' for the Labour Party, @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social wonders?

'Every time we refresh, it's obviously looking worse and worse for Labour and better for Reform.' @natashaclark.bsky.social tells @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social that we are 'at the start of a very long post-mortem' for Keir Starmer's party.

'Farage and Polanski are breaking the mould of British politics.' @lewisgoodall.com sums up the mood overnight as Britain wakes up to huge gains for Reform UK and the Green Party.

Just woken up? Here’s what you missed overnight as the local elections results started rolling in…

‘So, instead of just 20 seconds you have a minute and a half of legendary television.’ The accidental BBC news guest, Guy Goma, and the man who put him on air, @elmog.bsky.social, tell @mrjamesob.bsky.social what really happened.

"Any business will tell you it has cost jobs!" "Well, that's what they would say..." The Labour Party are losing the support of their business backers. Polly Toynbee lays out the case in Rachel Reeves' defence.

Two-thirds of Gen Z don't know what VE Day is. Good, says caller Ed.

'That is the only win America can take from this.' Caller Ash explains to @mrjamesob.bsky.social why Iran is ahead in the 'asymmetric PR war'.

"I was horrified by what he did. Brings a tear to my eye." Steve Baker recalls his former colleague Robert Jenrick trying to make asylum detention centres 'more frightening for children.'

"Frankly they make me sick!" @iaindale.bsky.social is on the warpath with non-voters...

Caller Nick reveals his plan to 'get rid of all politicians'. But is there a flaw in his scheme..?

"It's obviously designed to create fear or distress." The Director of Public Prosecutions makes clear that shouting 'genocide' at a Jewish child is a hate crime - and that hate crimes will now be 'fast-tracked' by prosecutors.

'It's like getting onto a lifeboat, and getting back on the Titanic again! Why would we get back on this failing, useless organisation?' Caller Stewart rubbishes Keir Starmer's 'ridiculous' consideration of closer ties with the EU.

Has Trump changed 'Operation Epic Fury', to 'Project Freedom' to restart the war clock? @simonmarksfsn.bsky.social has the latest after a hectic morning in the Strait of Hormuz.

“You’d have to be pretty daft to do that.” Foreign affairs analyst Tim Marshall tells Shelagh Fogarty why he doubts Iranian missiles hit a US warship.

'I'm sure the Americans will see the ceasefire as absolutely over.' Iran claims to have struck a warship in the Strait of Hormuz. The US denies this. Vice Admiral Duncan Potts explains the significance of the latest development. @lewisgoodall.com

We cannot carry on putting all our security eggs in the NATO basket.' After Trump's 'insulting and belittling behaviour', ex-national security adviser Lord Ricketts warns that we need to 'make do with less American kit in Europe'.

'The wrong way to go about growth is to pay billions into the EU.' 'Even if you pay a billion in, but you get £10 billion back in value?' Britain would have to pay £1bn for closer ties to Brussels. Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride doesn't think it's worth it. @matthew-wright.bsky.social

- Wilko - BHS - Debenhams - Toys 'R' Us @matthew-wright.bsky.social asks Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride if it's 'fair to blame the decimation of our high streets on Labour', considering the shops that closed under the Tories.

'We've tried him for long enough.' Caller David thinks that if our 'lame duck prime minister was emotionally intelligent', he would resign. @matthew-wright.bsky.social

'It's not because of Starmer's hair or face that people don't like him - it's the policies he's done.' @fisherandrew79.bsky.social wants people to consider how things would change if a new Labour leader were to be chosen.

'Men don't lose anything, women do.' Campaigner Joeli Brearley tells @natashadevon.bsky.social that the gender pay gap could be reduced by 4% if paternity leave was increased.

'Move it to Parliament Square and remind the politicians that they're supposed to be there for us - not them.' Banksy author John Brandler wonders how the artist was able to put up his flag statue, but wants it to be kept for a deeper meaning.

'Andy Burnham is the most popular - that's kind of like saying he's the tallest of Snow White's housemates.' The potential contenders for Labour leadership are 'not very well known', @joetwyman.bsky.social tells @shelaghfogarty.bsky.social.

Keir Starmer has called Zack Polanski's criticism of the Golders Green police response 'disgraceful', adding 'he is not fit to lead any political party'. @fraserknight.bsky.social brings the latest.

'This is exactly the kind of move you would be taking to begin withdrawing from NATO, and deliver a massive win to Putin.' @simonmarksfsn.bsky.social explains why Trump's threat to pulls US troops out of Germany goes beyond 'punishing' their leader.

"I don't think that universities should be offering courses in those pastimes." Asked four times by @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social, Reform's Suella Braverman finally identifies what she would describe as a 'dud degree'.

King Charles received a standing ovation for his wink-wink reference to the Magna Carta. But what would President Trump have thought of it? @lewisgoodall.com has two theories...

"His confidence was betrayed." A sixth former has secretly recorded the US ambassador and leaked his unguarded comments to the press. Former diplomat Nicholas Westcott says it will be a 'pity' if they now feel they can't give 'straightforward and honest answers'.

'I don't think you're very good at this landlording lark.' @mrjamesob.bsky.social debates landlord Richard who is against Rachel Reeves' proposed rent freeze.

'If she pulls this off, it'll be extraordinary.' Camilla is 'determined' to meet Epstein's victims with Melania Trump by her side, Emily Maitlis' sources say.