James O’Brien praised for ‘brutal’ Nigel Farage comments moments after LBC interview

‘What a handover,’ one listener said

Radio listeners have applauded James O’Brien for his ‘savage’ takedown of Nigel Farage.

The LBC presenter, 52, who hosts a much-lauded show on the political live debate channel every weekday, unleashed a scathing appraisal of the Reform UK leader, 60, who had been interviewed by his colleague Nick Ferrari moments earlier.

During the on-air onslaught, which O’Brien delivered while Farage was still in the same room as him, the radio presenter referenced accusations claiming the MP for Clacton had incited UK race riots this summer with his claims the Southport attacker had been known to the police.

The MP later said he was referring to incorrect claims made by the influencer Andrew Tate – who is currently under house arrest in Romania. Former head of counter-terrorism policing Neil Basu advised Farage to “think very carefully” about the power of his words.

When taking over Ferrari’s show, O’Brien said: “Well, there’s a lot to get through today. For example, have you ever had violent race riots named after you or indeed been accused by the head of the Met of emboldening the racist thugs responsible?”

He continued: “Have you ever cited a self-described misogynist facing rape and people trafficking charges in Romania as a trustworthy news source for events in the UK or described yourself as part of a similar phenomenon to him?”

Days after Farage had been elected MP for Clacton, he left the UK to visit Donald Trump in Milwaukee at the Republican National Convention (RNC) rather than represent his constituents by debating the King’s Speech in the House of Commons.

O’Brien alluded to the controversy, saying: “Have any newly-elected MPs spent more time in America getting binned off by Donald Trump than they have in their own constituency? And what would you call someone who answers yes to all those questions?”

The Independent has contacted Farage’s representatives for comment.

Prior to O’Brien’s takeover, Ferrari grilled Farage over his remarks claiming the police hadn’t “told the truth” about the Stockport attacks.

“I asked a question – was he known to the security services?” Farage responded.

Nigel Farage on LBC (PA)

“They still haven’t told us the truth. What I thought vindicated me wholly was Jonathan Hall KC who is the tsar for terrorism and rioting backed up by Lord Carlisle both said that the government and police need to level with the public.

“If they’d levelled with the public I don’t think those riots would have been anything like the scale they were.”

In a statement on 5 August, Farage criticised the race riots, saying: “I have been totally appalled by the levels of violence seen in the last couple of days. The levels of intimidation and threat to life have no place in a functioning democracy.

“That so many police officers have been injured trying to keep the peace is shocking, and we should not discount the use of the army if the situation were to deteriorate further.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Farage claimed there was “some truth” in Trump’s claim that Haitian migrants are eating pets in Ohio.

The MP said: “Whenever he says something like this that is absoluley crackers in the end there is always some truth in it.

“I’ll have a tenner with you that within the next month we find some evidence of it.”