It’s conference time, and this year the Labour Party is flogging hope to its supporters. Not just hope, but “hope again” – a crafty bit of spin to remind us of Labour’s 1990s heyday when Tony Blair had a rapidly growing economy and hopeful vibes to sell. But unlike the early flush days of New Labour, hope is just about all Andy Burnham has. And with empty pockets, he has to figure out how he’ll find the cash to pay for his big promises on social care, defence and just about everything else.

Cue the p word – a panic about pensions almost always emerges when politicians try to talk about the issue of old people and how to look after them. Burnham announced today in his speech at conference that in 2030 he would scrap the triple lock. But he hadn’t even made that speech before the briefing wars were in full swing. Union bosses warned the PM that scrapping the triple lock on pensions would be “morally wrong”, while former........

© iNews