James: What The Treatment Of Uber's Drivers Shows Us About Britain Now

12 October 2016, 12:59 | Updated: 14 October 2016, 10:27

In a compelling bit of analysis, James O'Brien links Uber drivers' fight for more rights with the polarised state of British political debate in 2016.

Tens of thousands of Uber drivers in the UK could qualify for holiday and sick pay, in what has been heralded as the employment law case of the year.

Uber claims its drivers are self-employed but James had one big riposte to that: "What if Uber tell you you can't work for them any more because the passenger ratings have been bad?

"If they can fire you, you're not self-employed. If they can fire you, you should get sick pay and holiday pay."

James then broadened out the discussion, saying the debate about how Uber treats its drivers is a reflection of the current state of British politics and employment law.

"This mood, that's abroad in the country at the moment, where any suggestion that we should be decent to each other gets shot down in flames straight away.

"Any suggestion...that we should be decent to our own doctors, that we should be helping - the argument always comes back to: 'My pension got decimated, why should public sector workers have a decent pension?'

"Not all employers are bad. But it seems to me to be the case that there's a move towards stripping away the protection from exploitation and poverty that post-war British consensus politics delivered.

"It seems to me that these things are being chipped away at, chipped away at."

The Uber drivers have taken the company to the tribunal with the help of the unions and as James pointed out, just look at what the papers say about unions every day.

James vs LBC caller: Immigration debate ends more amicably than it starts

James O'Brien vs LBC caller: Immigration debate ends more amicably than it starts

'Necessary and important': British-Israeli caller phones James O'Brien

'Necessary and important': British-Israeli caller phones James O'Brien

James O'Brien's callers praise EU deal

James O'Brien's callers praise EU deal

Brexiteer calls James O’Brien ‘to see how many times he’d be interrupted’

Brexiteer calls James O’Brien ‘to see how many times he’d be interrupted’

LBC caller warns that graduates risk becoming 'economic slaves'

LBC caller warns that graduates risk becoming 'economic slaves'

Fishing Industry Consultant debunks 'complete lies' about water pollution

Fishing industry consultant tells James O'Brien we were 'lied to' about water pollution

James O'Brien callers feel 'targeted' by Labour's immigration rhetoric

James O'Brien's callers feel 'targeted' by Labour's immigration rhetoric

James O'Brien is joined by Sadiq Khan to take your calls

Speak to Sadiq: Mayor of London joins James O'Brien to take your calls

LBC caller blames migration for NHS waiting times

LBC caller blames migration for NHS waiting times

Trade deals, conclave and Reform UK: LBC’s best callers of the week

Trade deals, conclave and Reform UK: LBC’s best callers of the week

'Vance saw Francis... we might be onto something'

LBC caller jokes that JD Vance's visit to the late pope might've paved the way for an American pope

"Things have to get a little bit dirty"

Caller Alexander thinks that "things have to get dirty" to stop Reform

'They've alienated every single subsection of society'

Caller Phil ruthlessly describes a Labour Party that 'doesn't appeal to anyone'

Caller Peter shares why 'we must remember VE Day'

Caller Peter shares why 'we must remember VE Day'

James O'Brien asks: ‘how does Nigel Farage get away with it?’

James O'Brien asks: ‘how does Nigel Farage get away with it?’

James O’Brien is ‘fascinated’ by caller Will’s story on finding faith

James O’Brien is ‘fascinated’ by caller Will’s story on finding faith