James O'Brien urges focus on important issues, not the "stupid things"

27 August 2020, 12:45

James O'Brien questioned why the media seems more interesting in fighting about a song than discussing a woman who died of starvation.

Knitting together a series of the big stories of the week, James said the country needs to focus on the big issues, rather than manufactured outrage at non-stories.

And he suggested that the government are deliberately keeping stories like the "row" over Land of Hope and Glory on the front pages.

Speaking on his LBC show, he said: "I don't know if you've seen the latest little, fairly gross film released by the Home Office.

"A lot of the problems that are on the horizon, whether they are caused by coronavirus or whether they were caused by Brexit or whether they were caused by catastrophic political leadership at the moment, they're going to get worse unless we stop fighting about stupid stuff.

"We're fighting about songs still. We're fighting about desperate humans in dinghies still. We're fighting about statues still. We're fighting about grossly inappropriate appointments to the House of Lords.

"It's tempting sometimes to think that the government very very deliberately keeps these flames burning. Because when the flames go out, then the focus shifts inexorably and completely to their chaotic handling or coronavirus and the responsibility for making us the first country in the history of the world to impose economic sanctions upon itself.

"How much news print has been dedicated to Land of Hope and Glory versus a woman who starved to death after being deprived of her right to work?"

Watch his monologue at the top of the page.