Andy Burnham was torn apart live on air as TalkTV discussed the Prime Minister's upcoming summer holiday just two weeks after moving into No. 10. The new Labour leader took over from Keir Starmer as PM on July 20, but will be taking a break from his day-to-day duties to spend time with his family. He will remain in direct contact with officials and continue holding meetings during his overseas trip, according to Downing Street.
Backlash Over Holiday Plans
The politician's allies have insisted that the Government will continue functioning normally during his absence from office. However, his upcoming getaway has sparked backlash from Brits up and down the country. On Wednesday (August 5), Kevin O'Sullivan welcomed former Tory MP Nick Fletcher onto the show to get his thoughts on the UK leader's holiday on his afternoon show.
The former MP fumed: "Our Prime Minister is going on holiday within a fortnight of him becoming Prime Minister, to me, is absolutely disgraceful. When you take that job on, and the country is in the state it's in, then you cannot go on holiday. It's an absolute joke. He needs to get back here, he needs to sort this crisis out, and he needs to make sure that these people are deported immediately."
Public Reaction on Social Media
It didn't take long for viewers to flock to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their frustrations online. One user argued: "I have zero faith in Burnham or his dodgy cabinet," as another agreed: "This Government just gets worse and worse." A third asked: "Were you this bothered when Boris went on holiday?"
And he isn't the only politician who fears Mr Burnham could take back his decision. On Tuesday (August 4), Labour MP Graham Stringer branded Burnham's decision to jet off on his holiday a "mistake" and said he believes the Prime Minister will come to regret it.
Context: Prison Release Scheme Controversy
It comes after the government's early prison release scheme sparked widespread outrage following the discovery that the killers of PC Andrew Harper would be eligible for early release. His killers, Albert Bower and Jessie Cole, were sentenced to 13 years in prison for manslaughter in 2020, but could be released from prison after serving just six years.
Burnham announced that prisoners convicted of rape, grooming, and serious child sex offences will be excluded from the scheme; however, violent killers will still have the chance to be freed early. The mother of PC Harper said her family is "paying the price" after learning her son’s killers remain eligible for early release. The 28-year-old police officer sustained fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019.
