A factory worker calling in to James O’Brien’s radio show has slammed newspapers like the Sun and the Daily Mail for ‘brainwashing’ his colleagues to support a no-deal Brexit.
Twenty-one-year-old Henry called into the LBC show to say he was the only one on his production line who doesn’t read the rightwing tabloid press and said it’s impossible to get through to his colleagues because of it.
Telling O’Brien that he couldn’t see how a Corbyn government would be worse than a no-deal government, he said: “But that is not relevant because the media, the rightwing media, and all of the lies that are spread on a daily occurrence – they are louder than your truths.”
He said that his fellow factory workers just call him an “idiot” or have a go at him.
“Quite frankly, you just get nowhere because every single day there’ll be another lie or a ridiculous article, like the Corbyn chicken one,” said Harry.
He continued: “They pick up the Sun, which they do every day, the Daily Mail … and every single day a bit more of a concrete foundation for their views is laid every time they read another lie. And it gets worse and worse.”
He said he felt the attitude these papers build is leading to a Trump-like situation when the presidential candidate claimed he could stand in Fifth Avenue and shoot someone, and he wouldn’t lose any votes.
“The fundamental issue in this country is the media and I think they should be held accountable for lies and spreading lies just as businessmen are,” he said.
He acknowledged that journalism is a complex area and there have always been lies and spin.
“But I think this brainwashing of everyone in this kind of industry I work in drastically needs to change,” he said.
Henry, who said he is an avid listener of O’Brien’s show, has had a fantastic response from LBC listeners and O’Brien himself.
“You’ve made my day mate,” said O’Brien. “I appreciate it’s baby steps on the production line where you work – I’ve got one person and that’s a hell of a lot better than none.”
Times columnist Jenni Russell tweeted the segment saying: “This with the brilliant James O’Brien and an extremely astute 21-year-old is really worth five minutes of your time.”
Twitter user Cecilia Danielsson said: “This 21 year old lad is fantastic. Real world critical thinking skills and eschewing rag tabloids. He gives me hope for the future.”
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