Row after Tory bid to make Burnham face MPs before autumn fails

The Conservatives have accused Labour of "running scared" after ministers denied them a chance to delay Parliament's summer break so Andy Burnham could face MPs before the autumn.

The former Greater Manchester mayor is expected to enter Downing Street on Monday next week, after the Commons begins its six-week recess on Thursday.

The Tories say they planned to use their scheduled opposition debate on Wednesday to force a vote on making Parliament sit next week, so he can take questions about his plans for office.

But that debate has now been ditched by the government so that MPs can debate the ongoing crisis in the Middle East instead.

Speaking earlier, Commons leader Sir Alan Campbell - the minister responsible for Commons timetabling - said he had not seen "the words of the motion" the Conservatives intended to put to a vote, and it had not yet been tabled.

"I do... appreciate the frustration of members when business is changed at short notice and debates are postponed.

"But members will appreciate the importance of the House being able to discuss the escalating and fast-moving situation in the Middle East before the recess."

It has drawn an angry response from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who called the decision to scrap the debate an "unprecedented move".

"Labour are running scared because they know the honeymoon will be over the minute he [Burnham] has to tell us his plans," she posted on X.

A Conservative source said: "The government knew we intended to table a motion for Parliament to sit next week so Burnham could be scrutinised."

After it begins its summer recess on Thursday, the House of Commons is not due to return until 1 September.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle can recall Parliament during the recess if asked to by the government, once deciding whether it is in the public interest.

Shadow Commons leader Jesse Norman claimed the government "could not bear the idea of a new prime minister facing any scrutiny before September".

He described the decision not to debate adding sitting days as a "total humiliation and embarrassment for the government".

"It is the worst possible start for a new prime minister," he told MPs on Tuesday.

"People across this country will see what has happened and they will conclude that this is a man who is frit, running scared of public scrutiny before he can even take office."

Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester who became the MP for Makerfield after winning a by-election last month, has been nominated by 349 Labour MPs to lead the party.

It is mathematically impossible for a rival to run against him, meaning he will become the Labour leader on Friday.

He is then set to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister three days later, when the official transfer of power will take place.

Having twice run before to become Labour leader, his route to power is much clearer this time round.

As the sole candidate, Burnham will not need to go through the process of a summer vote of members of the Labour Party and affiliated trade union supporters.

The curtailed contest has prompted calls from some within Labour for Burnham to offer more details on policies he will look to implement in government.

He did not take questions from journalists after a speech last month and has conducted one media interview, with LBC, since confirming his intention to stand to replace Sir Keir after entering Parliament.