Final Thoughts and Show Wrap-up

This is a Global Player original podcast This is LBC fromr Global, leading Britain's Cversation Mystery Hour with James O'Brien Six minutes after twelve is the time you are listening to James O'Brien on LBC. Keith just told me something I didn't quite understand, but we'll discover what it means in the course of the next minute or so, I think I'm not getting any quieter Kith. Is that what you would say? But what Hello. It's time for Mrter Hour, your weekly opportunity to achieve the sort of satisfaction not available anywhere else on your radio. This is in many ways the most enjoyable part of the week, notot always, but it's the most guaranteed enjoyable part of the week. canan anybody hear me I can't I keep telling me not to shout on the radio. Why are you playing it so loud? Are you sulking because of the alarm? Just a bit of bantom, mate Iathetic theone, but, you know It nothing, which is what I normally get. I suppose I should be grateful at least I got on anough Anyway, I'll just be quiet, I' Of u Miss Chia, it's very funny and enjoyable and you learn lots of things. So someone rings in with a question, right? ero three four five six zero six zero nine seven three and then someone else rings in with an answer. And somehow between those two polls the magic happens U If you make my favorite contribution of the week, you win a Mystery Hour game. There are two games now in the Mystery Hour stable One is a board game, that is the original Mystery hour, which is like a kind of thing that you would have on your coffee table and the whole family gathers around and you play it and enormous fun is had by all. And then there is the new Mystery hour game, the travel game That's in a tin And you can play it in a car, you can play it anywhay play on a train. you don't need a table to play it really. You just need You need to be able to see the cards. That's it. That's it. That's it. That's it. And it's yours. Full terms and conditions for that competition are LBC dot co. UK. And the Mystery Hour game, you can find out more about the game itself at Mystery Hour . co. uk. I think that covers it. I wasn't complaining about loud music like an old person. I was complaining that I couldn't hear G some days it feels like everyone's ganging up on you, doesn't it? What do you mean Keith is an icon, Sasha? please I wasn't complaining about the lack Take that off him.'m gonna do you know, I'm going to start doing my own button Like Nick Abbott does. I'm never going to start doing don't laugh like that at me. I'm never going to start doing my own buttons. I couldn't hear myself think during that period, Keith. I'm all flustered and discombobulated as we try and get. I haven't even told people to ring in yet. I can't do anything if you don't ring in. o three four five. If I took over the buttons from Keith, we'd be off air by twelve o twelve eleven Stop it now Seriously, you're not big and you're not clever zero three four five six zero six zero nine seven three is the number that you need to ask a question on Mysteryour or when you have heard other people ask a question to which you know the answer, you ring in and provide the answers. Eleanor was away last week, so she probably doesn't know that it all went a little bit retro It all went a little bit deja vu by which I mean that I think every single question that was on the board had been asked before relatively recently, which is what happens if you haven't got any older longer serving members of the team in place because some of the questions are kind of obbvious Lauren suggests the producers are revolting. You're telling me, Lauren Always have been, always will be. Obvious p But anyway, let's see how we go on this week. I'll stop burbling and you can start asking and indeed answering questions. Ian's in hollow. Ian question or answer Quion please Jane. Carry on in I cook a damn fine roast dinner and I use ordinary potatoes and sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes with a roast Hey You mate. it. No. No mate. I c sweet potatoes last night, but we were having them Anyway, here we go. I peel them and peel them and chop them and put them in a bowl of water before I put them on the pan Yeah. And the ordinary potatoes sink and the sweep staters flow I mean Is that an interesting question I think he. But I mean, it's a bit like saying the stone sinks and the And the wood doesn't. they're just different things. They might be cool. But are they both potatoes Well that's what I want to know Yes, is the short answer, I think to that. One's sweet and one's not sweet. Yeah, but we call things potatoes. We call things things that aren't actually things, don't we? What that potato potato. Do that noise again? Pine nut, for example, is not a nut, you see. so a sweet potato might not be a potato. Is a sweet potato a tuber? I thought that was a musical instrument I played. I suppose I asked for that, didn't I Um, Just before you go Do Do you shape the sweet potatoes in the same way that you shape the roast potatoes? Yeah, absolutely. I've never done that I've only done them I've only ever done them as chips. So I might have might the only thing I'd roast with my spuds would be parsnips perhaps. You can do a sweet potato mash as well. Now I've done that and I like a Swed mash as well, but you do so you have And do you cook them for the same amount of time? Are they not a bit solid They are a little bit softer, but they still they're going the same pan same pan of boil and the same pan of roast. Well, I never. All right, Yeah, you're on. I mean, there's all sorts of differences to be discussed, but we're particularly interested in the question of sinking and floating. Of sinking and floating. You're on. All right, Thankk you, Ian. twelve twelve is the time. Some breaking news for you, which will involve a genuine and proper and necessary interruption of Mystery, I'm being told that the Secretary of State for Defense John Healley has just resigned. I know no more about it than that, but as soon as I do, you will because we will take more information on that as soon as we have it and share it with you Sweet twelve twelve is the time. James is in crew. James, I will hopefully interrupt you to find out more about the resignation of the defefense Secretary, John Heley. but until that moment comes, questestion or answer Hello Hello It's actually James in Manchester now but that's fine. I'm sorry I'm so sorry. I can't believe you said you were in crew. How can you cruise a fine place. You can never trust me again. This is just awful. This is fake news. This is what Donald Trump is talking about. You can't trust anybody anymore. Let me start again Right S, are you ready Yes, go ahead. Thank you. James is in Manchester. James, I may have to interrupt you because hopefully we're going to have a little bit more information on the resignation of Defense Secretary John Healy, which is breaking as we speak. but until that moment dawns, James in Manchester, defefinitely not crew, near crew, but not in crew Question or answer, James So yeah, so I myself think I quite like a card game, a flat jack, that kind of thing.. So my question would be how and perhaps more when was the standard pack of fifty two cards that we know today come to be the standard or was it le was a particular company. so the you know, the f suit and the Ace two, three, four, five, six or King Jack Queen King, how does that become standardised? I like that. That's a nice question. I think it might I mean because Tarot did it have something in Tarot? Tarot? Yeah originally. becausecause there's in Taro, there's things like the night of cups, where there's all different things. So I presume we want what you're talking about. The first time effectively that the modern instantly recognizable Dck of fifty two cards became a thing And how did it become the dominant one that, you know, if that's what I mean. I mean cards, we're all thinking the same thing. Yes. So yeah, how was the four suits decided? Why don't we have a why don't we have a cups what? Well you can't keep adding other questions like that. We just want to know where it started, when and how. The time now is quarter past twelve, the cards and the sweet potatoes Ohero three four five, sixz sixzero nine seven three is the number you need to answer either of those questions or indeed to ask A question of your own. I'm going to take a quick break when we come back more on the resignation of the Secretary. I mean, this is an interesting one. He's very much a stAarmer loyalist. It could be personal reasons that are in play. It's probably a little bit unseemly to speculate unduly. So we'll just sit tight and wait for Natasha Clark to join us after this with further details It's twelve sixteen., James in Brentford. James, questuestion or answer. For a long time listen, first time caller, James. a question please. Why has the Secretary of State of Defense John Healey resigned Oh I don't, James, I'll find out for you. Natasha is in Leicester Square. Natasha question or answer. Q question fromom you. No question for me. whyy has the Scretary of? Scretary state on resigned Because doesn't het don't know how to play your game.'t how to play your game. He says that the DIP settlement, the defefense investment planl, which we're expecting the government to release any day now, he says that the money that the government has put forward for this is not enough to give our forces the resource it needs. He's just in the last couple of minutes submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister He said this is a letter. I never expected to write. I do so with great regret and reluctance. He said we came into government basically facing these new eras of threats. We published a new defence, review a ten year vision to transform our armed forces. And as we have regularly discussed together, I was certain that that percent G Defence spending was going to rise by twenty thirty as we indeed had committed to. but he says your defeence investment plan financial settlement. I was first given this in full on Monday afternoon this week falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time. Pretty damning stuff, James. I'm trying to think of a precedent really whereing been offered up as the reason for departure by a departing Secretary of state and I mean we could add it to the list of Myster our questions, but I can't currently think of an example of this very specific complaint Yeah, I'm strugging to. I think I'm sure there have been secreties of state that have resigned over not being able to get the funding settlements that they want in the past. I'm sure there are examples of this. But this is what we call James know an honorble resignation, isn't it? You can't Stmer is going to be absolutely gutted. Of course he's going to be gutted. And this obviously puts a huge hammer blow to the plans that he's about to reveal in the next two weeks because his own defence secretary is saying I can't accept it, it's not going to be enough. And actually I was speaking to people within the Ministry of Defence, within the Treasury last night, James, trying to find out when this plan was coming and what it was looking like, whether it was going to be delivered on Fridays as we had potentially expected it to be. And they said to me that these talks are still ongoing, The idea that pU thirteen billion pounds for the Ministry of Defence in extra Defence spending for this plan been earmarked Now that is way, way short of what every single defense chief had said that they needed. You'll remember some of them wrote a letter to Seakiristama last year where they said twenty eight billion pounds was needed to meet the shortfall in our defenses. So it does very much sound like John Healy feels like he's lost the argument here. He's not got enough money and he just absolutely can't accept the settlement that is on the table. which he first saw on Monday afternoon of this week, so's responded fairly complain about the extra support being backloaded when of course the issues are, as those military chiefs have explained urgent And the imperative to speed up readiness to fight is one of the reasons given In John Healey's letter, in the first two years of the new settlement, he points out it rises to just two point six eight percent of GDP in twenty thirty It will hit two point six. It will still be two point six percent next year. so a long, long, long way off the three percent It was kind of pledged in the three and a hf percent, which is supposed to be in place by twenty thirty five. Is this down to the treasury? I mean, is this Yeah, for sure, James. This is all going to be down to how much Rachel Reeves believes that she can give the Ministry of Defence. And now I was told by people in government this week that they were looking for every single government department to make some cuts in order to fund this extra defence spending. So in order for that to happen, that essentially means that every department needs to say yes to that Hearing in the newspapers today, that Ed Milliband, who we saw over the weekend that they' been rumoud for cuts to the energy department. and he's apparently turned around and said to the Prime Minister that he won't accept those cuts. So potentially there is a lot more going on here than meets the eye. but it does sound like John Healy essentially feels like he's lost this battle with the treasury and that far far more is needed. He says there in that letter, you know what deffence means. You made this argument powerfully in your speech at the Munich Security Conference without a defence investment plan that meets the moment in this way. I'm being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations. could make the country less safe. So it sounds like this financial settlement is going to be way, way less than what he thinks is needed. But actually this is really on the head of the Prime Minister. He's the one that is in charge. He's got the ability to say to the treasury, I'm really sorry, we've got to find the money for this somewhere. It's got to mean cuts or tax rises or borrowing And it sounds like the Prime Mister, at least, according to this letter from John Healy, is reluctant to do either of those three things. Ben Wallace resigned. Secretary. Was that overfunding issues? I don't think it was, but I mean it may have been, but I think publicly he said that he sort of wanted to spend more time with his family and explore new opportunities. It's a fascinating on this yesterday, didn't I off the PMQs because don't think there's many votes in it. at the moment. And yet You move into the Secretary, you move into the Ministry of Defence as a politician. And when you're of John Healley's statue or indeed Ben Wallace's in the previous administration, there'd be a whole bunch of jobs you could get, but they do we do seem to be living in an era where the defense secretaries We really really come to believe that there is a dire need for more investment. and everybody outside the Ministry of Defense is still living by the political imperatives rather than the security imperatives, and they don't see the point of moving money from somewhere where spending money is popular to somewhere where spending money is not so much unpopular, but not perceived as urgently necessary. and Healy being the latest example of I don't want to say gone native because thatow sometimes makes it feel like there's been a delusion involved. but It's probably the best way to describe a politician who ends up being a heck of a lot closer to the people professional members of the military than he is to the professional members of the government than he is to his fellow minis force. Yeah. you know, he spends all of his time meeting, you know, with defense chiefs and with, you know A boys and girls out there that are on the front line fighting these fights and doing these threats. And you know and actually I remember sort of the last time that I spoke with Ben Wallace when he was in government about this. and sort of he says that every deffense secretary essentially needs to go in to have this big fight with the Treasury because every time they're going to be coming back and saying, do you really need this money for this? Do you really need this money for that and you know, defense as has recently been seen as this like security guarantee. it's a deterrence, right? You're spending lots of money, but you can't necessarily see the safety that you might keep as a country and what that actually looks like in terms of tangible results, which the treasury obviously don't really want to provide because they think it's not really worth it They can't see those results apart from the fact that there is no war. so is that really worth spending all of that money? But when you are the defefence sectary and you are so close to these personnel serving on the front line in this way, just the idea that he is being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of the forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations, that's just a staggering thing for any defense secretary to say Yeah I mean I mean it is. and Thurday lunchim, his first saw it Monday afternoon, presumably he would have been importuning the Prime Minister to change course or to change his tune or to order the treasury to find some more money and he has failed in those, which leaves him with little choice but to It's not quite clear whether he's proverbial. He's spoken to Kir Starmer or not about this, but you could imagine that he would' have been on the phone to him trying to make the case and on the phone to the treasury trying to say, actually, if we can't get this through, I'm really sure that I can't support it. And you John Healy, like you said' three percent by twenty thirty. That That's all he wanted. It's simple to understand And he hasn't got that. Yes, But it's also about more than just the numbers of three percent. It's the money that they're spending on and where it's going. All of this defense investment plan is essentially what we're going to be spending money on for the next ten years in order to fulfill the commitments that Britain has already made within the current spending plans. So it is billions upon billions upon billions of pounds that the Treasury are having to find And the argument from the treasury was that MOD has wasted a lot of money on projects in the past. and there's been countless examples within government countless reports done where they say this hasn't been good enough. The treasury want to say we want more value for money for this. But I think you're right when you say that so many people don't feel like defence is their top priority. twenty percent of people do feel like it is, and the government haven't made the case about why we need to spend An extra twenty, twenty eight billion, fifty billion or whatever it might be on defence. It's not exactly a secure position that Kir Starmer enjoys at the moment as Prime Minister. How many straws do you think this adds to the camel's back? Well this adds a really big one onto him. and you know the fact that the Prime Minister was I was speaking to him last week on a defence related visit where he said this is my number one priority This is going to have to be the priority above everything else in government And yet John Heley doesn't feel like it is. So where we are at this precarious position that the Prime Minister is in at the moment, James, where every single thing could potentially blow him and knock him off course, this is an absolute hammer blow to Kirst Star at a time where he's just about got back on his feet from the last whack that he got with the resignation of West Streeting a couple of weeks ago to lose cabinet ministers at this speed, when you are so desperately trying to cling ont to power and you are behind in the polls, every single potentially blow like this could be a knockout killer one. And we will obviously wait to see what the reaction is from John Hillley's resignation and what he chooses to say next and what other MPs choose to do next, but there is a chance that this Hastens. dearture Yes. he He's an ally of Starmer. I mean that's why it's particular He's not one of the people in the cabinet under sufferance or in order to keep other sections of the party that aren't necessarily warm towards Starmer happy. This is very much a know, a back pocket appointment. Exactly. And actually, you know, usually what happens when we get these resignation letters, James is that they come from number ten Downing Street. So there's a letter that's sent and there's a letter that's received. So the Prime Minister will write back to John Heley with a letter which we haven't got. John Healley put this out. on social media of his own accord today And actually the fact that we knew nothing about this, and actually know, Agie Chambberarolli was at a press conference with John Heedy yesterday and was asking about the defence plans. He was defending the defence plans. He was saying, you know, I respect Parliament. I'm going to be outlining it to parliament soon. And just hours later, know this clearly is a last minute decision that he's just now made, and we don't even know whether the Kistama may have received this resignation letter before it was published to the media Promotion for out C? Probably, yes. He's well regarded.en as it's a very, very good strong contender in this field. There's also Luke Pollard as well, the Armed Forces mininister that they could easily promote into this big job. But yes, Kir Starmer is going to have a difficult time now getting through this defence investment plan without his defence secretary. I suppose the most positive thing you could say from Kirst Starmer's point of view John Heeley is unlikely to cause trouble from the backbenches I think that's probably true. He's probably one of those people who, yes, you're probably right, don't think he's going to make any sort of scathing bindstorming interventions about Kir Stahmer's leadership or anything like that. But arguably he's already done the thing that's going to cause him the most damage by saying, Kir Starmer, your plan today is going to put our armed forces at risk And that I think is worth more than anything John Haney could say about Kistar's leadership. Thank you very much, Natasha and Licester Square there with a brilliant answer to James in Brentford's question about why the Secretary of State for Defence has Just resigned Mor's being in touch, he says, Dear James' producer, please go back to Mysteryour after the half past twelve News All right, Maureen, if you insist, but if we get a letter from Downy Street, Natasha, will you come back and join us?, Thank you very much It's coming up to half past twelve. You are listening to James O'Brien on LBC with an interrupted and truncated mystery which may be interrupted again. in the event of any new details emerging with regard to this breaking news. And listen, it's profoundly significant, as Natasha just brilliantly explained This reaches into all corners of Kir Stama's government and all corners of Kir Stama's premiership and indeed He' future So any new developments on that will be in front of you in no time whatsoever. Breaking news. Secretary of State for Defense, almost out of nowhere. has R resigned, John Healey. Matt Hewitt has your headlines An awful lot of unhappiness with John Healy, not for resigning from the government, but for interfering with and indeed interrupting Mystriia. and I make no apology for that. I'm afraid. It's a big, big, big story and we will return to it as and when any new details or developments emerge. But until then we continue questQestions on the board at the moment the origins of decks of cards and why do potatoes sink and sweet potatoes float That'd be good if John Healy rang in. He's got time on his hands now perhaps I don't know which of those is best suited his qualifications. A few of you suggesting that Natasha Clarkke should have got a round of she should have got a round of applause actually, but I forgot to ask what her qualifications are I presumed it was a given, but you know, Myster hours Mystery hour. She certainly doesn't get a raay oor for just doing her job, but here you go, belatedly. Simon's in a career. Caliimera. Simon. Caaliera, James Cy Suller.sy Katsy S Mara. E'sy Catsy Katy Well, yeah after A listening to what's happening with John Neeey for fifty minutes. Yes, you were on hold, for which I thank you. I hope we rang you back. fine That's fine.ope you're not on a trunk call. Question of answer I've got a question. Carry on. And I need to put it into context very quickly, right? So you know, I live in Icarea And off of Icarea is a small archipelago called Fni Corion, which is basically In Greek, it basically means the ovens because the place is so hot. Yes And historically it was also full of pirates. Oh rightight? Yeah. Yeah, I mean you can look at it up It's fascinating, fascinating place. I've spent quite a lot of time there. But my question is actually about ducks. Oh yeah. I in England Um you know, ducks are basically herbivores that live in fresh water. But in Forney and in other places I've seen in Greece. groups of ducks that live in the sea Right Right? Yeah. And my question is this is, well, one, why do they live in the sea? And two, what do they eat? becausecause they're not carnivores. they don't eat fish Ah, what could they not eat seaweed Well, yeah, but they don't they don't kind of bob under. Do you know what I mean? They just sort of Are they normal they like mallards No, they're not like mallard They're kind of They might be special sea ducks. Have you ever heard of a special sea duck? I just did. Yeahah, there's some in a careorea Not any career in four years. Oh, my bad my bad, sorry But yeah, I mean, but but they're not like mallards. so they're not ducks that normally live in freshwater. It's a different duck. It's a duck that lives in. Yeah, but they're definitely ducks and ducks, I know one hundred percent. M might be geese There might be geese They might be, it crossed my mind. they might be, but I don't think so. I mean, have you ever seen this particular duck anywhere else Yeah, I' seen I've seen them in other places in Greece Right Um You know, and they I mean, they look, if it looks like a dark stop it H you heard it quack? Have you heard it, quack? I've heard I've heard them quack.. You know? Have you got I downloaded this thing which's called Merlin? Have you downloaded an app called Merlin No, what's that? It's brilliant. It's Cornell University in the United States of America. We're probably crashhing. right, Crash the website now it's free. You download it. R. I use churpomatic as well, but I'm using Merlin now And you record the noise of the bird and it identifies it for you from an enormous database, or you take a picture of it and you put it through the app and it will tell you exactly what kind of duck it is. Is it free? Yes, free, mate Marlin, Merlin from the app store and It will take and then may you may if we don't get an answer, it may be that that it will tell you precisely what species of ducket is And that will be halfway towards working out what they.s not it's not so much about the species because I mean, like we said, you know, a duck is a duck is a duck. Well it Yeah maybe necessarily. It might be that when you discover what it is, you learn that. Oh yeah, that that's a saltwater duck Yeah, maybe maybe I don't know. I've never heard. Well, no nor have I, but we were just thinking out loud, aren't we mate? What we're doing Anyway I'm off for a sou Lacky. Give me an answer to Vlackedia, a hero or or will you go for the hero or will you go for the Svaki I go I go for different ones on different days so sometimes you you go to the Svaki shop most days No, not every day. it' not it's not very good for you, but no, I mean they where I live up the road there's a really nice toverna. They do great gear all, but they also do brilliant kidy on. you know pork, local pork And lots of the food that's grown here and provided here is completely organic, you know? There was a big thing about organic food in Greas. It always has been we're way ahead of the curve. We stayed at a place in K It was completely. Anyway, I digress. I don't know how to say enjoy your food. Howere do you say enjoy your food I don't know. I say I'd say Yeah no, you do. What's the what is it Cor? I can't remember. Never mind I wish you a safe journey there. so I'll say Cal' Tax. I think you're coming over quite soon, aren't you? Not to Korea, but yeah, I will be No no, not to Korea, but to Greece. I'll be in the region, I think a couple of weeks time, but obviously you' the quQeen I keep my said your top secret ool but have a lovely time. I Well, I will, when you know I will. It's impossible not to, he says, Jinsing nothing. Simon, thank you. Sandra iss in reading. Sandra, a question or answer. Hello, James, it's a question. Carry on Okay, why the washer machines have glass windows so we can see the washing go round and round? This is eas toottallyirrelevant. It's not irrelevant. It's not so that you can see the washing go round and round. What's your s thing? Well, think about it I'm thinking I'm think harder Well, there's no good reason. But what else can you see Apart from clothes when you watchh your washing machine Um Water? A And how can you be the water? How can you be a hundred percent certain that your washing machine has drained without being able to see that your washing machine has drained Oh Answer the question How many rice Krispies are there in a box of rice Krispies, mininis that sorry. I got distracted. Answer the question, Sandra I don't know. What do you mean you don't know? How would you What do you mean you don't know? Answer the question, Sandra. How many rice Krispies are there in a box of rice Krispies? So if all these Ph people have got integrated washing machines, how do they know when it's drained All top loading washing machines. topop loading doesn't matter, does it? Because if you open a top loading washing machine and it hasn't drained, you're going to flood your kitchen Okay, fair enough. Is that the only reason you think Yeah And the integrated ones they tell you, they tell you, they send a message to your phone. Yeah well. I haven't got an integrated washing machine. I just made that up. But I mean, if they're that integrated, theyd probably send you a letter You get a telegram so we're finished. putut the whites on So that is the answer. That is the answer You think so. What do you mean you think so? I know so. There may be another reason for Well go on then I don't Well I do know this is the reason. Okay, all right, I'll take that then to give yourself a random? You know I am, yeah. real one, Yeah M of the metaphorical one I give myself every other minute of the show. Carry on, Sandra. if I'm wrong someone will do a steward's inquiry, but let's face it I'm not Victoria's in Dumfries, Victoria a question or answer. Answer, hopefully. Carry on, Victoria. So it's a question about the sweet potato versus normal root potato. You don't want to share your thoughts on John Healey's resignation? I would like to share my thoughts about the fact that I had to listen through the adverts. Well I'm sorry. That quien them down. mutiny So Well you think the advert allowed. you should see was not on. No, Well right, let's get back to business. What is going on with the potatoes? So generally if something floats versus something sinks, it is always will to do with density. But I know also for a fact. that the sweet potato is a lot less dense than the white potato, right. So that is the reason why it floats versus sinking Other differences, biologically and so forth, they are related to one another in terms of how being the plants the same as potato is related to tomato and so forth, right? So they are related. They're both tuberous plants just as you suggested. but the reason why one floats the other one thinkinks is because of the density There we go.ess than half the density the sweet potato compared to the white potato. Qalifications So many. I'm a biology teacher, but I teach physics and chemistry for the lower secondary school S one S two. and also I've got a master's in nutrition. so I know more about the difference between sweet potatoes and white potatoes than you the question was the average president, would you ever cook sweet potatoes with a Sundaay roast Absolutely. What Yeah, really Right like round, normal shappe, potato shapes. Nutritionally there is not much difference. One's got a bit more protein, the other one's got a bit more fat. more free sugar, more starch with a roast, We'd like beef. Asolutely's abolutely. Re In the same shape as a roast normal potato? Yes, but you would not pre you would not par boil them. That's the difference. No, obviously. Yeah, becausecause if you parboil them you' turn them into marsush Well, hope never. You live and learn, e? That's two things I've learned today. The second shipato, carrots, all the thatab goes the ro. Now I know carrots go in a rose, but sweet potatoes as potatoes, not as vegetables, not in carrot shapes. Yeah abbsolutely. It's very, very nice. I like them. I don't dislike them a bit of paprika normally, I spice a well. I've learned two things today. One is that the Secretary of State for Defense, John Healley has resigned And the other is that people have sweet potatoes in their roast dinners. P. Paprika tastes nicer than the just paprika. The what paprika? I know that everyone knows that, Victoria, for goodness. Do you think we're phil qualifications you' told us H have a round of applause? Thank you. Thank you very much Thank you very much. answers but I know you only have theerence you only allow one answer. That is absolutely right. I might have invited your views on the resignation of John Healey, but you didn't want do that and I quite understand. It's twelve forty four. Tony is in Ponttyland in Northumberland. didid I say that right? Pontaland, James. Pontealand. I won't hold it against you. Thank you very much. question or answer. It's a question, please, James. Carry on. If you would just allow me to explain the inspiration for the question, course. Myself and my wife were aroundound our good friends and she had made for us an apple crumble with apples from the garden, beautiful. blah blah blah. And halfway through the dessert, their daughter Just happened to mention o, the apple tree is planted above bingo it was deceased family dog And that got me thinking. and I actually mentioned it. doeses that mean I've got bits of bingo in my system now. So the response was, well, I like to think that he has been brought back to the world through the apple tree. an apple crumble.id They planted the tree quite young, did they Yes. So they buried the dog and then they planted the tree. The planted of the tree is almost immediately, I think. Yes. Like a memorial instead of a headstone. Yeah, ye. It's producing fruit already. And that was the first crop and we were h we were honoured to to partake whichich brings me to my question, if you don't mind. Do we hope partarts of dead people existing in our bodies humans. Yeah, but chemicals constantly there's a finite number of chemicals and they're constantly being recycled and reconstituted, aren't they? So it's not like you've got a bit of pour in you or a bit of tonea or something like that, but you might have some nitrogen in you that came from Bingo. I don't think you're going to have I mean, it depends what you mean by a bit of dog really. Well, I not in the dog to be quite honest. I was just thinking about the people human beings, ye. principles are the same. you're not going to have a bit of a person in you, but you're going to have It's like ag you're not gonna to have a Lego brick But you're going to have something that is used to make LegO brick Do you see what I mean? I do see what you mean, but is that a fact then that we actually will have someone from the Roman period. He will have a chemical in you that may also have been in a Roman. I think you've answered my question. I think I have. Well, I've suddenly s feeling a bit less confident than I was a minute ago. I mean, you must do, right Otherwise, where is it? Otherwise, where's the Roman gone? Where's the Roman gone if it's not coming back round again? I mean I mean, All right, I don't know who'd be qualified to answer that question If I haven't answered that already, I'm not going to take another round of applause Or should I case think you have a little clap No, I don't know, I better not. you're on. All right. I And was the apppple crumble nice? It was beautiful, but I'm not having anymore. Well it pretty makes you think, doesn't it? twelve forty seven is the time you're listening to James O'Brien on LBC If you're just joining us and you'reondering what this madness is. The Secretary of state for D Fous John Healey has resigned. Nata Clark joined us just After half past twelve to explain the details, the full text of his letter makes it clear that he is Absolutely. ' furious. he's not furious. He's just absolutely gutted for want of a slightly more grown up word that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have elected not to keep to the pledge to deliver three percent of GDP for defence in twenty thirty as well it wasn't a pledge necessarily, but it's something that John Healley has made it clear on several occasions that he feels to be necessary, as indeed do Um Many defense chiefs, both past and present. We have worked to secure a defense investment plan that does two things. First, deal with the increasing operational demands on defense now and step up the SDR actions to meet the increasing threat. Second, set a clear path to meet the new NATO commitment that you did agree to spend three and a half percent of GDP in twenty thirty five and he feels that movement towards that destination is nowhere near know twelve forty eight is the top Telve fifty one is the time. you're listening to James O'Brien on at LBC where we are cunningly and expertly riding two horses at the same time, like a sort of cossack On the one side The Secretary of State for Defense has resigned, John Healy. I've given you the chapter and verse with Natasha Clarkke's help on why that is and on the other side mystery abbsolute friolity and silliness Somehow we have managed to assemble together the abilities and the team to ride both horses at the same time. So anything, but I think Downing Street realised the foolishness of interfering with Mstreo so they probably will wait until one o'clock before they issue their response to John Healley's resignation letter. The outgoing Secretary of State for Defense, John Heley has hemorrhaged a lot of goodwill and admiration by interfering with Mrria after announcing his resignation shortly after quarter past eleven or just before half past eleven today. So I suspect Sheila will have the response letter for you shortly because my information is that Downing Street know that you interfere with Mystery hour at your peril You think Kir Starmer's situation is perilous currently, you wait and see what happens to the fella if he starts messing about with mystery John Heley. Big mistake, mate. B, huge. Tony's in Romsy, Tony, question our answer It's answer James. Carry on, Tony So firstly, what on earth is John Healey doing trying to stop a man in Greece from finding an answer to the This is what they mean when they say politicians are completely out of touch with ordinary people. It It's insane, isn't it? Right. You were right earlier do go on the sea? Yes. Now a sea gotot And the most common one that people will know about is the ideeda f course And I would recommend anybody who's got Merlin or any other app. It's good, isn't it? l' br to listen. to the Iider Duck sound. and they sound surprised at everything. Oh I like that If you draw some false eyebrows on somebody, they always look startled, They do If you listen to an Iider duck, they sort of go o H O they always sound surprised, but they are beautiful birds and they eat littleust crustaceans and shrimps and gribblies and bits and bobs. So they are taking their food out of the water. def it here, Yeahah They probably load them up in Iceland and they also come down to Scotland quite a lot. What about Walmaters But there'd be a sea duck in warmer be'd be doing the same sort of thing. I love that qualifications None. I just love birds. Well there you go. That's your qualification. Do you love birds enough to hot foot it. to Wales to see The Western reef heron that's just arrived No, no, I'm not in all that. I do where I live, we have The white tailed eagles, ospreys, mars areriers And they're only a mile away from my house. And my garden is an absolute Paradise with birds I got baby woodpeckers all over my windows at the moment, not hatches and wh sort ofuff Why is that? Just because you I mean why is it New forest territory or N forest I live in the woodlands. Oh, how glorious. And do you leave fooda? I mean, have you worked to attract them in these kind of numbers? Oh yeah yeah, yeah. boxes and deer and everything in the garden. like well It what you would call it really? I love it. But you're not one of the people who will be jumping in the car and driving to Wales to see this heron that has appeared. About three hundred ornithologists have arrived in the town of E Foreid and Carnarvon No, no, because they cause actually quite a lot of harm because they give people a bad name and they park in people's drives and stuff. I mean, I love watching birds, but I don't need to leave your garden, do you? No, no they should come and see me. I don't need to come and see that. That I like that. Iess Mohammed won't come to the mountain and the mountain won't come to Mohammed. And then a big it's a big week for rare herons. There's one in Lincolnshire as well as a squaco heron. Squacko hereron, yeah, a small one like a night heron. Tiny little thing, isn't it? It's gorgeous I'm only getting into it relatively recently. I saw some. Iving it I am loving it. I don't quite it'd be hard to put into words what it is, but I think I'm a bit like you. I don't have the urge to collect. I wouldn't need to go and drive somewhere just to say I can takeick it off. Do you know what I mean? I don't think I used to when the girls were young used to like books in the garden That's nice.'s Well anyway, it's got a round of applause, Tony Gay,. Lovely stuff. loveovely stuff. Thank you. And Vance is in Regents Park, Vance, question or answer Cswer, please. Carry on, Vance Okay, the dog buried underneath the apple tree. Is that a song? I don't know that one. Okay. Eesssentially everything decays okay when it dies. and therefore its molecules are distributed through the air, through the soil, even up into a tree. But this is absolutely natural because it happens universally It's part of the cycle of chemicals and molecules And one statistician a few decades ago expressed this very sort of eloquently, he said, everyvery one of us probably has about ten molecules of Beethoven in us. Wow. Oh I love that. So we'd have quite a lot of Roman then, probably. The average person in this country would have a bit of Roman knocking about B ofment? Yeah sure Maybe a bit of bodiceia. Yes. And but molecules would be any element, really Absolutely. Yes It could either be simple elements like nitrogen or carbon. It might be compound elements, you know, but it's inevitable. So was I mean, I was right in my answer, but I didn't sound quite as clever as you do. What are your qualifications I was a biochemist. Oh, well there it is. It's I mean I don't know if this is quite an august a reference as your statistician with the Beethoven observation, but it is We're talking about the circle of life Yes, indeed, indndeed, absolutely. And. Beautiful stuff. Vanas have a round of applause on me Thank you., I love that. I love that, Bita. And there it is. So yes, Bing goes a dog. you will now Tony, who asked that question, will contain some molecules that were previously contained within Bingo the Dog via the medium of Apple Crumble If you're just tuning in, don't worry, Sheila's here What have we got molecules of? I came in about too late You've probably got about ten Are you any good at? Can you play the piano? Badly. All right, eight. Okay I think we're done. Tot yes, we've got to get on with the show. I've got a hand over to Sh. I'm going to give the should I don't know who I'm going to give the board game to. Should we give it to Natasha Clock? No we can't give it to Natashalock. Eleanor's shaking a head, quite well. Let's give it to Ian, a the sweet potato king That's it for me. The Secretary of State for Defence has resigned. We did solve the mystery of why, but Sheila will be providing more detail and analysis of that moment imminently. If you missed any of today's show, you can listen back on our free Gobal Pler app or on the LVC app where you can also stay up to date with all the latest news and don't forget that World exclusive. of one of the songs that is going to appear on the pitiful fake desert Island discs that Nigel Farrage has done for the spectator, although I would be surprised if that was the only outlet to pllum depth so low. You can listen to a range of podcasts, including James O'Brien Daily The best bits from my LBC show every day. So do download the official LBC app for free from your app store now Coming up at four and LBC, Simon Marks is in for Tom, but now it's time for Sheila. Beethoven for Twinkle fingers, oot. No the opposite. Thanks very much, James. This has been a Gobal Player original production.