Burnham’s first conference - is there really hope again?

The News Agents

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Monday, 28 September 2026 - 36 minutes

There's a surprising buoyancy at Labour conference this year. For all the warnings of the grim economic backdrop and the myriad challenges facing Andy Burnham, his message of 'Hope Again' does seem to have registered, at least with the party faithful at Liverpool.

But John Healey couldn't really sell sunlit uplands in his speech today - he was at pains to point out that this is NOT the 1990s. And a potential diesel export ban from Donald Trump could make things a whole lot bleaker. Can Burnham sail through this conference on vibes?

And if his government is so keen on growing the economy, why can't they say where they stand on another runway at Heathrow? We speak to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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