James O'Brien's epic monologue on the recession, migrants and fighting with ice cream
12 August 2020, 10:58
James O'Brien's epic monologue on the recession, migrants and ice cream
This is James O'Brien's monologue covering the UK's recession, the controversy over migrants crossing the Channel and the Home Secretary picking a fight with ice cream.
The UK has officially entered the largest recession on record and the first for more than a decade due to the coronavirus lockdown. Official figures saw GDP fall by more than a fifth between April and June.
But James pointed out that having the worst economic impact in the G7 and the highest number of excess deaths in Europe is a double that no one wanted.
Speaking on his LBC show, he said: "You can't really get much worse than the worst economic performance in the G7 and the worst excess death rate in Europe.
"If you're in the business of doffing your cap and tugging your forelock at people like Jacob Rees-Mogg, Iain Duncan Smith, Digby Jones and Boris Johnson, how the hell do you do that today?
"We said on day one it was all about balancing health and wealth. They've managed to mess up both. That's quite incredible."
On the eve of the GDP figures, Home Secretary Priti Patel picked a fight with Ben & Jerry's after they tweeted to ask for humanity in dealing with migrants crossing the sea.
A Home Office source said: "Priti is working day and night to bring an end to these small boat crossings, which are facilitated by international criminal gangs and are rightly of serious concern to the British people.
"If that means upsetting the social media team for a brand of overpriced junk food, then so be it."
James found the whole episode ridiculous, stating: "The actual Home Secretary fighting with an ice cream company. Not even an ice cream company, fighting with the Hoxton hipsters who run the social media account of an ice cream company.
"The Home Secretary - the third most senior member of the government, of a government that has presided over the worst excess death rate in Europe and the worst economic performance in the G7.
"And what's she doing today? Shouting at ice cream."
He then touched on the government U-turn on A-levels and brought up something that is very rare nowadays - a politician saying sorry.
It's a classic James O'Brien monologue - hear it in full at the top of the page.
