Andy Burnham is set to become Prime Minister on Monday, but MPs will be denied the opportunity to question him on his plans until after the parliamentary summer recess, which begins on Thursday. The Conservatives had sought an additional day next week for Burnham to make a statement and face questions before the break, which lasts six weeks. However, in an unprecedented move, ministers cancelled the planned Opposition Day debate, citing the need to discuss Iran.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the decision, stating that Labour is "running scared" and that the "honeymoon will be over the minute he has to tell us his plans." Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson referred to Burnham as the "Mancunian mystery" and suggested the incoming leader needs to "get his skates on" as he "hasn't got much time."
Jesse Norman, the opposition's representative for the Leader of the House, called the situation a "total humiliation and embarrassment for the Government." He argued that the incoming Prime Minister has been chosen through a "coronation, not a contest, with no known platform, almost no known policies and no idea of his priorities or his Cabinet team." Norman concluded that the public will see this as "a man who is frit, running scared of public scrutiny."
Sir Alan Campbell, the Leader of the House, stated he was unaware of the Conservative plan to delay the summer recess. Liberal Democrat MP Bobby Dean commented that the country will question why it will take months for the incoming Prime Minister to face parliamentary scrutiny on his plans, even though his succession has been known for weeks.
Sir Alan responded that if a new administration is formed on Monday, it will require time to establish itself. Conservative MP Katie Lam expressed concern that the public will not have a chance to scrutinize the Prime Minister's plans for a month and a half, questioning how this appears to constituents.