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Watch: Boris signs off at PMQs

Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

It was Boris Johnson’s final time at the despatch box today but there was little sign of it from some of the contributions. Scratchy, verbose, partisan: and that was just the Labour MPs. Still, that didn’t faze the outgoing PM who, to rapturous applause and cheers from his benches, told the House about ‘some words of advice to his successor.’

He told either Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt or Liz Truss to ‘stay close to the Americans’ (an obvious reference to Churchill) and to do the same for the Ukrainians, plus cut taxes and deregulate ‘to make this the greatest place to live and invest in.’ He ended with a pointed jibe at those ever-online MPs whom he feels forced him out of office by focusing too much on social media, saying ‘above all, it’s not Twitter that counts.’

He then left the House of Commons to a standing ovation from Tory MPs. Labour, unsurprisingly, did not join in. Magnanimous to the last eh?

Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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