Andy Burnham has been accused of “running away from the country” on a summer holiday just two weeks after becoming Prime Minister.

The former mayor of Manchester will take a break from the day-to-day duties while away with his family.

Mr Burnham will be on holiday for a week but is prepared to come back if needed.

He will continue to hold meetings and will remain in direct contact with officials, it is understood.

Reform UK chairman Lee Anderson said: “Two weeks into the job and Andy Burnham has already had enough. After dropping a number of unfunded commitments and overseeing over 2,000 illegal migrants breaking into our country he’s bunked off for a jolly abroad. This isn’t a Prime Minister that’s serious about leading.”

The PM will leave tinderbox Britain as several regions are plunged into drought, small boat migrants continue to arrive in droves and the cost-of-living crisis bites.

It is also 12 weeks until Chancellor John Healey gives his first Budget, which is expected to include tax rises.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Not content with running away from Westminster to open No 10 North, Andy Burnham is now running away from the country altogether.

“Just weeks into the job, the Prime Minister should be working around the clock to give hard-pressed taxpayers value for money.

“Brits struggling with the tax burden deserve 100% commitment from No 10, not a Prime Minister governing on roaming charges.”

Mr Burnham, who was mayor of Greater Manchester, spent weeks campaigning for the Makerfield by-election before arriving at No 10 to be PM two weeks ago.

His predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, was forced to rip up his first holiday after becoming PM when the country was gripped by far-Right riots in August 2024.

The unrest came in the wake of the deadly stabbing of three girls at a dance class in the seaside town of Southport.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Boris Johnson cut short a break in Somerset in August 2021 as the Taliban advanced on Kabul.