LBC

LBC (originally London Broadcasting Company) launched in 1973 as one of the UK's first independent radio licences, initially serving the London market with talk and news programming. It was acquired by the Global Group in 2014 and relaunched with a national digital simulcast, making its phone-in political format available across the UK. LBC's audience expanded substantially during the Brexit and COVID periods, when its extended political interview format and live phone-in debate attracted high political figures, including regular slots for Nigel Farage (2014-19 and subsequent appearances) and Keir Starmer. The station is commercially positioned as centrist-liberal in its senior presenter line-up but carries voices across the political spectrum. In the U#8 briefing, LBC was cited as the outlet that carried Wes Streeting's public interview confirming his departure from the cabinet.