The Conservatives are under fire for a shock plan that would allow the new prime minister to “chicken out” of putting their Brexit plan to the House of Commons until the autumn.

Opposition MPs spoke out after aides to Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt were told the winner of the Tory leadership race would not move into No 10 on Tuesday 23 July, as widely expected.

Instead, Theresa May proposes to make a final appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions the following day before resigning – just one day before MPs depart for their long summer recess on 25 July, they were reportedly told.

Labour has vowed to table a vote of no confidence, which could be staged on that Thursday, but, otherwise, there would no reason for the new prime minister to appear before MPs.

Ed Davey, a Liberal Democrat leadership contender, told The Independent: “It would be outrageous if the new prime minister chickened out of facing the Commons before the summer recess.

“Three years on from the referendum, a new prime minister can’t just slink off to the beach. We need to know the plan on Brexit.”

And Chris Bryant, a senior Labour MP, said: “Neville Chamberlain tried that trick of sidelining parliament with a long summer recess in 1939 and it didn't end well.

Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Show all 13 1 /13 Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May reacts as she delivers a statement in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE Reuters Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May reacts as she delivers a statement in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Prime Minister Theresa May making a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday May 24, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Brexit. Photo credit should read: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Dominic Lipinski PA Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May reacts as she delivers a statement in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London, where she announced she is standing down as Tory party leader on Friday June 7. PA Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a statement in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a statement in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement, at Downing Street in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay HANNAH MCKAY REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May announces her resignation outside 10 Downing street in central London on May 24, 2019. - Beleaguered British Prime Minister Theresa May announced on Friday that she will resign on June 7, 2019 following a Conservative Party mutiny over her remaining in power. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement, at Downing Street in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay HANNAH MCKAY REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a statement in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE REUTERS Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks in the street outside 10 Downing Street in London, England, Friday, May 24, 2019. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Alastair Grant AP Theresa May gets emotional during her resignation Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after announcing her resignation outside 10 Downing street in central London on May 24, 2019. - Beleaguered British Prime Minister Theresa May announced on Friday that she will resign on June 7, 2019 following a Conservative Party mutiny over her remaining in power. (Photo by ISABEL INFANTES / AFP)ISABEL INFANTES/AFP/Getty Images ISABEL INFANTES AFP/Getty Images

“It would be a disgraceful dereliction of duty to send parliament off the moment there’s a new prime minister and I confidently predict the House would vote against the summer recess motion if they tried that trick.”

The Conservative Party has refused to answer enquiries from The Independent about Ms May’s departure plans, beyond saying it would be “in the week beginning” 22 July.

Parliament is not due to return until 3 September, for under two weeks, before another three-week break for the party conference season.

If, as in previous years, the Commons does not sit again until around 8 October, there will be little more than three weeks until the current Brexit deadline of Halloween.

Both Mr Johnson and Mr Hunt have threatened to let the UK crash out of the EU on that date, if they have failed to strike an improved deal – while EU leaders have insisted there will be no renegotiation.

Both David Cameron and Tony Blair enjoyed a swansong prime minister’s questions, at which MPs paid tributes – and, in the Labour leader’s case, applauded.

Ms May is known to be keen to point to a “legacy” beyond her Brexit failure, even to the point of a bust-up with her chancellor over her attempt to spend billions in her final days.

Labour could yet back away from a no-confidence vote in July, given it is unlikely to succeed while Mr Johnson – if he wins – is arguing he will seek a deal to avoid a crash out.