New: Peston

The broadcast began with a report on the restoration of Birnbeck Pier, described as a grey two-star listed pier and the only one in England linking the mainland to an island. It noted its Victorian engineering, its history of amusements, concert hall and RNLI association, and its requisition during the Second World War. The report said the restoration was bringing it back to life piece by piece and was important to Weston-super-Mare's identity and economic growth.

Peston then covered the Labour conference in Liverpool, where Chancellor John Healey had spoken and delegates were described as buoyed by new leader and Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Discussion focused on the need for growth and tax revenues, pressure to reassure creditors over debt, and expected tax rises in the coming Budget. It was reported that Andy Burnham was expected to say the triple lock guarantee would be reformed in the next manifesto, not this parliament, to help fund social care; the Health Foundation estimated a universal free-at-point-of-use service would cost £18.5bn a year, while the OBR put the triple lock's annual cost at up to £15.5bn by 2030 and the IFS said it could reach £20bn by 2050. In an interview, John Healey said the current manifesto commitment to the triple lock holds, declined to say what the next manifesto or Budget would contain, described social care as broken, and discussed young people not in work, education or training, apprenticeships, benefit sanctions and Alan Milburn's forthcoming recommendations. He also addressed fiscal headroom, global economic pressures, the Truss mini-budget, Heathrow expansion and a miner's lamp from Cortonwood Colliery.

After the interview, the panel discussed reduced fiscal headroom, national debt and debt interest, and market concerns, before turning to Healey's description of reducing the welfare bill as a moral crusade and the idea that young people who do not take up training or apprenticeships could lose benefits. Polling by More in Common, YouGov and Savanta was reported as showing growing tactical voting, especially on the left, to keep Reform out, with a progressive bloc including Labour, the Lib Dems, the Greens and the SNP implied to have a majority. The panel also discussed Labour's election prospects, a possible shift in Burnham's speech towards a more positive EU stance without committing to rejoining, the volatility of a four- or five-party system, and how small a swing could help Reform. It ended with discussion of Burnham's style, whether he would make difficult decisions, and concerns about a nostalgic economic message.