The PM capped off a typically gruelling session with a defiant farewell.
Boris Johnson concluded his final PMQs as Tory leader by imparting a few words of advice to his successor.
Advising them not to listen to Twitter (nor the Treasury, for that matter) the outgoing leader said it is “the people that sent us here” in typically Trumpian closing remarks.
Johnson endured a testing final Commons appearance, seemingly ignoring pleas from the Speaker to keep things civilised and focus on “issues and policies rather than personalities”.
He called Sir Keir Starmer a “great pointless human bollard” to cheers and shouts of “more” from Conservative MPs surrounding him.
During his closing statements, Johnson said his mission was “largely accomplished”, thanking the Speaker, his own MPs and giving a brief nod to the leader of the opposition, who he did not name.
He then channelled the Terminator: “I want to thank everybody here and hasta la vista, baby, thank you.”
As he sat down, he was cheered roundly by his colleagues who rose to their feet to give him a round of applause.
The gave him a standing ovation, I shit you not. #PMQs pic.twitter.com/giNm0cCv9m
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) July 20, 2022
Boris Johnson confirmed he would resign as UK Prime Minister two weeks ago, noting he was “sad to be giving up the best job in the world”, but “them’s the breaks“.
He thanked the British public “for the immense privilege you have given me” and said, “Even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future together is golden”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin shared his best wishes to Johnson, particularly in light of “a difficult few weeks”. However, the Taoiseach did add, “while Prime Minister Johnson and I engaged actively together, we didn’t always agree, and the relationship between our Governments has been strained and challenged in recent times”.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, meanwhile, proved less charitable in her remarks towards Johnson, describing his relationship with Ireland as “wholly negative“.
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