Johnson’s role is now that of caretaker prime minister, with a short time to implement existing policies but not make major new decisions. However, there is concern that a lack of interest in No 10 plus a huge turnover of ministers has created a power vacuum. Patel, the home secretary, was scheduled to brief MPs on the Commons home affairs committee on Wednesday morning on policies including progress on deporting asylum seekers in Rwanda. But late Tuesday, Patel said she could not attend because of “recent changes in government,” with no apparent explanation. Patel had spent days considering whether to join the crowded field to succeed Johnson as Conservative leader and therefore prime minister, but ultimately decided against it. Later on Wednesday, Labor received an urgent question about ambulance services in England, which have been placed on the highest level of alert due to the scale of demand fueled by factors such as Covid and the current heat wave. But instead of Steve Barclay, the health secretary, who replaced Sajid Javid last week after Javid resigned at the start of a wave of ministerial departures that ousted Johnson, he was answered by Maria Caulfield, a junior minister. Barkley’s absence was “a disgrace”, Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary, told the Commons. “Our NHS is going through the biggest crisis in its history, every ambulance service is on the highest alert, patients are being made to wait hours in pain and discomfort and he has yet to say a word about any of this,” Streeting said. he said. Downing Street has ruled that Johnson, who will remain Prime Minister until September 5, when the new leader takes over, will not make major fiscal changes or introduce new policies. While this officially means that even controversial policies such as the Rwandan system can be pushed forward, it has since emerged that no further deportation flights are currently planned. “This is a government that has simply given up governing,” said Thangam Debbonaire, shadow leader of the Commons. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST “From flagrant breaches of long-standing contracts to simply not turning up for day-to-day work, ministers fear scrutiny. “The Conservatives are out of touch, out of ideas and supporting this caretaker government which is … unwilling and unable to govern.” MP Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the Lib Dems, said: “After months of doing nothing but protecting Boris Johnson, senior Tories now appear to have given up on the idea of ​​governing the country altogether. “We haven’t heard a peep from the health secretary this week despite the ambulance crisis in every part of England. “The public will watch in dismay as Conservative ministers fail to turn up to carry out the most basic functions of government.”