Why not just state clearly that they're not increasing VAT? Starmer burbled his usual brand of similar non-answers to the same question.
Imagine spending over a decade pushing for your favourite party, only for them to **** up so badly and so quickly, you have to scrabble to find any bit of ****e to try to deflect from them embarrassing themselves at their big conference. Many of us called it, and also flagged up the likely lefty reaction pretty much spot on. No wonder they're trying to rewrite their fantasy to one where they never liked Labour anyway.