A bid by Labour to have Boris Johnson removed from office immediately has been blocked by the government.
MPs had been expected to vote tomorrow on a motion of no confidence tabled by Keir Starmer.
But in a major break with convention, the government has refused to set aside parliamentary time for it to be debated.
A Labour spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “This clapped-out government is running scared and refusing to allow time to debate Labour’s vote of no confidence motion.
“This is totally unprecedented. Yet again the Tories are changing the rules to protect their own dodgy mates.
“All the Tory leadership candidates should denounce this flagrant abuse of power to protect a discredited Prime Minister.”
The prime minister is set to stay in post until the Conservatives elect a new leader in eight weeks’ time on September 5.
But Labour’s motion of no confidence in the government would, if it had been passed by the Commons, have seen Johnson booted out of office straight away.
If the Conservatives had then been unable to form a government under a different prime minister, a general election would have been held.
Labour MPs have reacted angrily to the government’s decision.
Labour’s motion says: “That this House has no confidence in Her Majesty’s Government while the Rt Hon Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip remains Prime Minister.”
A government spokesperson said it was not accepted because it makes reference to the PM.
“We have given Labour the option to table a straightforward vote of no confidence in the Government,” they said.
“They have chosen to play politics by tabling a vote of no confidence in the government and the prime minister.
“As the prime minister has already resigned and a leadership process is underway we do not feel this is a valuable use of parliamentary time.
“Should Labour amend their motion appropriately, they can have the next business day for it to be debated.
“The government is focused on delivering parliamentary business that impacts people’s everyday lives while we work through this transition.”
However, Labour pointed to a motion of confidence tabled by the Conservative opposition on August 2, 1965, which read: “That this House has no confidence in Her Majesty’s Government and deplores the Prime Minister’s conduct of the nation’s affairs.”
A Labour source said: “They’re talking through their hat. There is precedent and we’re not changing our motion. They’re just afraid of losing.”
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “This sounds more like Donald Trump than a serious British government.
“If Boris Johnson has blocked a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons, this is just more evidence that he is totally unable to lead our country.
“Voters will never forgive the Conservative Party for propping up Johnson, who is more interested in himself and his legacy than tackling the health crisis and cost of living emergency.”