Mr Johnson said he was leaving the role with his “mission largely accomplished”. But in what could be interpreted as a dig at leading optimist and former chancellor Rishi Sunak, who resigned from Mr Johnson’s government earlier this month, the prime minister urged the Treasury to “cut taxes” and stressed that “it’s not Twitter that counts. “. Politics Hub: Truss and Mordaud battle for bottom two Concluding his final PMQs, Mr Johnson said: “I want to use the last few seconds to give some advice to my successor, whoever he or she may be. “Number one: Stay close to the Americans, support the Ukrainians, support freedom and democracy everywhere. Cut taxes and deregulate where you can to make this the best place to live and invest, as it is. “I love the Treasury but remember if we always listened to the Treasury we wouldn’t have built the M25 or the Channel Tunnel. “Focus on the road ahead, but always remember to check the rear-view mirror and remember above all that Twitter doesn’t count.” The prime minister received a raucous ovation from his own MPs, who kicked him out of Downing Street just a few weeks ago, as he took to the Commons dispatch box for the last time. Parliament begins its summer break tomorrow, with Mr Johnson due to be replaced when MPs return to Westminster in early September. At the start of PMQs, Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Mr Johnson before his departure. “Can I start by saying to the Prime Minister that I know the relationship between a Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition is never easy – and this is no exception to the rule. “But I would like to take this opportunity to wish him and his wife and his family the best for the future.” Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 12:00 Boris Johnson called Sir Keir Starmer a ‘big, useless human neck’ The Prime Minister confirmed that this would “probably…certainly be my last PMQs from this dispatch box or any other” and that he would “use the coming weeks to push forward the 2019 agenda”, including raising the bar. Mr Johnson left the room after the meeting to applause from the government benches. Former Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May stood but did not join in the applause. There was no love lost between Mr Johnson and Sir Kiir as the two party leaders clashed at Prime Minister’s Questions for the final time before the Prime Minister’s imminent departure from Number 10. Mr Johnson called the Labor leader “one of those pointless plastic bollards you find around a rather deserted motorway road project”, while Sir Keir quipped he would “miss the delusion” of the prime minister. Ahead of this afternoon’s fifth round vote in the ongoing Conservative leadership contest, Sir Keir read Mr Johnson damning quotes that each of the three remaining candidates – Penny Mordaunt, Liz Truss and Mr Sunak , have said about the record of his government. He noted that former chancellor Mr Sunak said the other candidates’ monetary policies were “nothing more than the fantasy economy of unfunded spending promises”, to which Mr Johnson replied that Labor “knows all about fantasy economics sizes”. Sir Keir told the Prime Minister that Foreign Secretary Ms Truss was “withering away on the government’s financial record”. Referring to his response to the pandemic, the prime minister said his government had “faced it and dealt with it” “magnificently”. Moving on to the eventual nominee, Trade Secretary Ms Mordaunt, Sir Keir was quoted as saying: “Our public services are in a desperate state. We can’t continue with what we’ve been doing because it clearly isn’t working.” She asked: “Did the Prime Minister tell her who has been running our public services for the last 12 years?” Growing more frustrated with the Labor leader’s line of questioning, Mr Johnson said: “This is absurd. It makes it completely satirical.” Read more: Starmer calls Boris Johnson ‘bull********’ and potential leaders ‘B grade’ The prime minister added that any of the three candidates would “wipe the floor” with Sir Keir at a future general election. “Well, I’m not following this thing very closely, but my impression is that there’s already been a lot of discussion,” he said. “And I think the public, I think they have an ample opportunity to see the talent — and any of them, as I said before, like some household detergent, would wipe the floor with them.” The final two candidates in the Tory leadership contest will be decided on Wednesday as the candidates move closer to the top – and Downing Street. They will face another ballot from Tory MPs, with the result to be announced at 4pm. The winner is expected to be announced on September 5th.
