We haven’t seen the last of Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson’s farewell speech was a classically boosterish affair. He emphasised the government’s achievements, argued that Putin was wrong if he thought he could dent public support for Ukraine by using energy as a weapon and called on the Tory party to unite. Johnson quipped that if Dilyn the dog and Larry the cat could put their past disagreement behind them, then so could the Conservative party.

The departing Prime Minister’s anger about his departure was there, albeit hidden behind humour. He quipped that this parliament had turned into a relay race unexpectedly and that the rules had been changed half way through. He did call on the Tory party to unite behind Liz Truss, the candidate he was clearly backing in the race. But in a line she will not find entirely reassuring, he compared himself to Cincinnatus returning to his plough. Johnson would well know that Cincinnatus left his plough and returned to power when Rome was in danger.