Conservative lawmakers have accused the government of "running scared" after ministers denied them an opportunity to delay Parliament's summer recess, a move that would have allowed for parliamentary scrutiny of the incoming Labour leader.
The House of Commons is set to begin its summer recess on Thursday and is not scheduled to reconvene until September 1. Parliament can be recalled during the recess if requested by the government and deemed in the public interest by the Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Shadow Commons leader Jesse Norman claimed that the government "could not bear the idea of a new prime minister facing any scrutiny before September." He characterized the decision not to debate extending sitting days as a "total humiliation and embarrassment for the government" and "the worst possible start for a new prime minister." Norman suggested that the public would see this as a leader "who is frit, running scared of public scrutiny before he can even take office."
Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, is poised to become the Labour leader on Friday. He secured the nomination of 349 Labour MPs, making it mathematically impossible for any rival to challenge him. He is expected to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister three days later, marking the official transfer of power. This marks a clearer path to leadership for Burnham, who has run for the role twice before. As the sole candidate, he will bypass the need for a summer vote among Labour members and affiliated trade union supporters.
The streamlined contest has led to calls from within the Labour party for Burnham to provide further details on his policy agenda for government. He has maintained a limited media presence since confirming his intention to stand, having not taken questions from journalists after a recent speech and conducting only one media interview with LBC.