“Labour Members are becoming less enthusiastic in their support.”

The claim "Labour Members are becoming less enthusiastic in their support" comes from Badenoch's line: "Mr Speaker, you can listen to their cheers get weaker and thinner with every passing moment." In context, this is about Labour MPs' support for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his government, particularly regarding welfare reform. There is substantial, independent evidence supporting this broader assertion: 1. **Welfare reform rebellion**: In July 2025, more than 120 Labour MPs threatened to back an amendment to block the government's welfare reform legislation, forcing major concessions. Even after dilution, 49 Labour MPs voted against the bill — the largest rebellion of Starmer's premiership. (AP News, BBC News, The Independent) 2. **Growing discontent**: Multiple sources confirm growing disillusionment among Labour MPs. By mid-2026, over 100 Labour MPs were reportedly calling for Starmer to go. BBC's Chris Mason reported "growing discontent among Labour MPs about their leader" that went from private to public. (BBC News) 3. **Loss of authority**: The welfare U-turn was described as "a massive loss in authority for Downing Street" and "the moment Labour MPs collectively realised they could push this government around." (BBC News, Politics Home) 4. **Cabinet wobbles**: Ministers and previously loyal figures were reportedly losing confidence, with one cabinet source saying they "wouldn't want the prime minister to humiliate himself" in a leadership contest. (BBC News) 5. **Polling evidence**: Ipsos data showed Starmer's net favourability among 2024 Labour voters fell from +67 in July 2024 to -1 by December 2025, demonstrating a dramatic decline in support even among his own party's voters. (Ipsos) The specific claim about cheers literally getting "weaker and thinner" during that particular PMQs session is a subjective observation that cannot be independently verified from the written record (Hansard records words, not volume). However, the broader factual assertion — that Labour MPs were becoming less enthusiastic in their support for Starmer — is strongly corroborated by multiple independent sources documenting rebellions, public calls for his departure, and declining confidence among his parliamentary party. One minor qualification: Badenoch frames this as a continuous decline ("every passing moment"), which is rhetorical hyperbole. But the core assertion that enthusiasm was declining is accurate. Sources: - BBC News — "Chris Mason: The anatomy of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's downfall" (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg8kkdx7l9o) - BBC News — "Talk of Starmer staying on to fight is fading fast" (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjeg7p5w4y9o) - AP News — "UK's Starmer faces party revolt over welfare reform" (https://apnews.com/article/uk-starmer-labour-welfare-rebellion-ec78160cfff4673978916a3f86b67a5e) - BBC News — "Starmer faces Labour revolt despite welfare climbdown" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62889vm3nno) - The Independent — "Rattled Starmer scrapes through on welfare reform after last-minute concession to rebel MPs" (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keir-starmer-welfare-reform-bill-vote-result-labour-rebels-b2780523.html) - Politics Home — "Will Major Welfare Reform Happen In 2026?" (https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/will-major-welfare-reform-happen-next-year) - Ipsos — "Where did it all go wrong for Keir Starmer?" (https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/where-did-it-all-go-wrong-keir-starmer-and-what-lessons-andy-burnham-should-learn)