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Burnham risks wrath of Commons Speaker for talking too much at PMQs
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Andy Burnham, three months into his term as prime minister, has been repeatedly urged by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to be more concise during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs).
- Analysis shows Burnham speaks for an average of 22 minutes per PMQs session, which is 3 to 6 minutes longer than his recent predecessors like Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, and Boris Johnson.
- On average, Burnham spends about 50% more time answering each question compared to Liz Truss, and about a third more than Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak.
- The Speaker has expressed concern that Burnham’s lengthy answers risk running over the scheduled 30-minute PMQs session, limiting the number of questions that can be asked.
- A senior Number 10 source suggests Burnham’s longer responses stem from his willingness to fully address questions, contrasting with the brevity of previous prime ministers.
