Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Was this Boris Johnson’s farewell PMQs?

Is Boris Johnson going to turn up to Prime Minister’s Questions next week? The final answer he gave to Keir Starmer at today’s session suggested he either thought this was his valedictory PMQs, or that he’s planning to be elsewhere next Wednesday.

He said the next leader might be chosen by ‘acclamation’ – which doesn’t seem likely given how hostile the many camps are being to one another. Johnson added that ‘it is possible this will be our last confrontation’, and gave a barbed thanks to the Labour leader for being ‘considerably less lethal than many other members of this house’. He also said he would be leaving with his ‘head held high’. It was in part his goodbye and also his rejoinder to Starmer saying he was going to ‘miss this weekly nonsense from him’.

Isabel Hardman
Written by
Isabel Hardman
Isabel Hardman is assistant editor of The Spectator and author of Why We Get the Wrong Politicians. She also presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster.

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