Burnham urges hope as cost-of-living crisis deepens ahead of Labour conference

Andy Burnham opened the Labour conference in Liverpool by declaring that it is time for Britain to regain belief and hope after ten years of upheaval since the Brexit vote. He promised to confront challenges from the left over the party’s stance on the Gaza conflict. Opponents, however, criticized his hopeful rhetoric as empty, pointing to soaring energy, food, petrol and diesel costs that have intensified the cost-of-living emergency.

They argued that slogans and social-media messages cannot substitute for concrete financial relief for households. Scottish MP Mr Doogan blamed a “permanent pattern of Westminster’s cost-of-living crisis” for worsening poverty in Scotland and advocated for independence to exploit energy resources, eradicate child poverty, and re-enter the European Union.