In the record, not in the score. 157 sentences and 24 questions from the official text. The selection rule did not choose it, so it does not count towards the score. How transcripts are chosen
Same event
9 Sep 2026
Everyone in our line-up who spoke here, each rated by the same rules on their own words. Our model rated this. The BS Index is not compared here because the speakers were scored on different measures (for example, one asked the questions and the other answered them). Compare the measures instead.
Andy Burnhamthis transcript
Prime Minister
–of 16 checked claims hold up–of 24 questions answered
71%of 14 checked claims hold up–no questions to answer
Fact or Fluff
Supported14Partly supported2
16 claims checked against independent sources, chosen by a fixed rule (every material claim (one that supports an argument, a policy or an attack) in the transcripts that count towards a score; in other transcripts, up to 10 claims spread evenly across each; plus any claim an emotional passage relies on). 0 more were found but not checked yet; they do not count.
Quotes leave out filler sounds and repeated words. Words in [square brackets] correct a transcript that misheard or misspelt them. The transcript keeps every word as published.
Supported75% confidence
“we will honour our NATO commitments: 3.5% by 2035”
Claim checkedThe UK's NATO commitment is to spend 3.5% of GDP on core defence by 2035, and the government will set a target date for reaching 3%.
At the 2025 Hague summit, NATO members (including the UK) agreed to spend 3.5% of GDP on core defence by 2035, as part of a wider 5% target. The government has said it will set a path to 3.5% by 2035, with a target date for 3%, at the spending review. Whether it keeps that commitment is a future matter.
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Supported85% confidence
“taking £4 billion out of housing benefit”
Claim checkedKemi Badenoch's September 2026 defence funding plan involves taking £4 billion out of housing benefit.
The defence funding plan Kemi Badenoch set out on 3 September 2026 included saving about £4 billion by reforming housing benefit, partly by letting tenancies in expensive areas end. Burnham's warning that this would increase homelessness is his opinion and was not checked.
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Supported60% confidence
“We have set out plans for the biggest council house building programme this country has seen in a generation.”
Claim checkedThe Labour Government has set out plans for the biggest council house building programme the UK has seen in a generation.
The Government set out a council-housing programme described as the biggest since the post-war era (about 139,000 completions a year planned). The claim is that plans were set out, which they were; delivery is not yet testable.
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Supported75% confidence
“If the right hon. Lady looks at research from the National Housing Federation, she will see that that is the route to save billions from housing benefit.”
Claim checkedNational Housing Federation research finds that building large numbers of social homes would save billions of pounds in housing benefit.
In February 2024 the National Housing Federation and Shelter published research by Cebr. It estimated that building 90,000 social rented homes would save £4.5bn in housing benefit, with further savings to Universal Credit. These savings are over a 30-year period. The research covers social rented homes in general, not only council homes, but it does support the point that building social homes saves billions in housing benefit.
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Supported70% confidence
“It was 2.5% of GDP when the last Labour Government left office.”
Claim checkedUK defence spending was 2.5% of GDP when the last Labour Government left office in 2010.
Defence spending in 2010/11 was 2.42% of GDP on the Government's measure, about 2.5% on NATO's. Rounding to 2.5% is within the range of published figures.
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Supported85% confidence
“It was 2.3% of GDP when the Government she was in left office.”
Claim checkedUK defence spending was 2.3% of GDP when the Conservative government, in which Kemi Badenoch served, left office in July 2024.
NATO figures put UK defence spending at about 2.3% of GDP (2.33%) in 2024, the year the Conservative government left office. The figure for 2023/24 was also about 2.3%.
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Supported80% confidence
“the E1 settlement tender concludes before the Israeli general election”
Claim checkedThe tender for building Israel's E1 settlement in the West Bank concludes before the next Israeli general election.
When this was said (9 Sep), bids for the E1 tender were due to close on 19 October, a week before the 27 October Israeli election. The Attorney General's later order (26 Sep) changed the timetable.
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Supported85% confidence
“I appointed a Minister for Artificial Intelligence to the Cabinet.”
Claim checkedAndy Burnham, as Prime Minister, appointed a Minister for Artificial Intelligence who sits in (attends) the Cabinet.
In July 2026 Bloomberg and City AM reported that Prime Minister Burnham appointed Kanishka Narayan as Minister for Artificial Intelligence. The role attends Cabinet, making it the first AI minister at Cabinet level. Strictly, the role attends Cabinet rather than being a full Cabinet member, but 'appointed to the Cabinet' is a normal description of that.
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Partly supported80% confidence
“bringing buses across the city region back under public control at the weekend, after 40 years of deregulation”
Claim checkedBuses across the Liverpool City Region returned to public control on the weekend before 9 September 2026, after about 40 years of deregulation.
ITV News reports that Liverpool City Region began bus franchising on the weekend of 6 September 2026, but only in St Helens. The Wirral follows later in 2026 and the rest of the city region in 2027. The '40 years of deregulation' figure is about right, since bus deregulation took effect in 1986. Buses across the whole city region did not come back under public control that weekend.
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Supported85% confidence
“AI growth zones will allow local authorities to retain 100% of business rate growth”
Claim checkedUnder UK government policy, local authorities in England keep 100% of the growth in business rates within AI Growth Zones.
The government's 'Delivering AI Growth Zones' document (November 2025) says local authorities in England will keep 100% of business rate growth in AI Growth Zones for 25 years. New retention zones take effect from April 2027, and it estimates £5m-£10m a year per site. Data Centre Review (September 2026) and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer describe the policy the same way. The policy applies to England only.
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Partly supported75% confidence
“that is to be considered by the Northern Ireland Secretary when there is clear consensus in the country—when public opinion has changed to the point at which the call has to be considered”
Claim checkedUnder the Good Friday Agreement, the Northern Ireland Secretary is to consider calling a border poll on Irish unity when there is a clear public consensus for change.
The Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires the Secretary of State to hold a poll if it appears likely that a majority would vote for a united Ireland. 'Clear consensus' sets a higher bar than the statutory test of a likely majority.
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Not counted
6
Procedural claims (the speaker's own dates, petition counts, who said what, background), clear slips of the tongue, and words read out from someone else. They stay on the record and do not count in Accuracy.
Supported“the nearly 3,000 people who died, including 67 British citizens”Procedural: Part of a tribute to those who died on 11 September 2001, not an argument. · Prime Minister's Questions, 9 Sep 2026
Can't verify“We will shortly respond to the final report of Alan Milburn, who is looking at the issue of young people not in education, employment or training”Procedural: Says when the government will respond to a report; a timetable, not a claim of record. · Prime Minister's Questions, 9 Sep 2026
Supported“the right hon. Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh), who yesterday applauded the action that this Government are taking”Procedural: Who said what in the chamber: what another member said the day before. · Prime Minister's Questions, 9 Sep 2026
Pending“As somebody who formerly had responsibility for the Greater Manchester fire and rescue service”Procedural: His own past role, given as background. · Prime Minister's Questions, 9 Sep 2026
Pending“I am aware of the potential office closure in Liverpool by BT, and the number of job losses—up to 600, I believe.”Procedural: Repeats the facts of a member's question about a local office closure before answering it. · Prime Minister's Questions, 9 Sep 2026
Supported“The Father of the House said yesterday that he “absolutely and fully” supports what my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is doing,”Procedural: Who said what in the chamber: what the Father of the House said the day before. · Prime Minister's Questions, 9 Sep 2026