‘Hasta la vista baby’: Johnson claims ‘mission largely accomplished’ as loyal Tory MPs applaud final PMQs

PM urges successor in No 10 to ‘cut taxes’ and ‘stick up’ for the Ukrainians, while taking a swipe at Rishi Sunak’s Treasury

Boris Johnson signed off after three years as prime minister by telling MPs in the House of Commons: “Hasta la vista, baby.”

On his last appearance at the despatch box as PM, Mr Johnson won a standing ovation from Tory MPs as he boasted about his achievements in office and doled out some advice for his eventual successor, telling him or her to “focus on the road ahead, but always check the rear-view mirror”.

Despite swearing off interventions in the battle to replace him as Tory leader, Mr Johnson took a barely concealed swipe at MPs’ favourite Rishi Sunak, complaining of how the Treasury had stood in the way of his plans for large-scale investment. And his praise for foreign policy successes over Ukraine and trade deals was seen by many MPs as a veiled endorsement for the former chancellor’s rival Liz Truss.

The PM’s use of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s catchphrase from Terminator 2 – Spanish for “see you later” – as well as his comment “mission largely accomplished... for now” led to speculation – firmly denied by aides – that he was leaving the door open for a comeback.

Despite an appeal from Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for MPs to temper their language on the occasion of the PM’s farewell, Mr Johnson engaged in his usual scattershot invective, branding Keir Starmer a “pointless human bollard”.

He boasted his successor would “wipe the floor” with the Labour leader “like some household detergent”.

But Starmer used the words of the Tory leadership contenders to blast the PM’s record in office, quoting Liz Truss’s warning that the 15 tax rises introduced under Johnson were “leading the country into recession” and Penny Mordaunt’s admission that public services were in “a desperate state”.

“They got us into this mess and they have no idea how to get us out of it,” said the Labour leader.

Almost alone among Tory MPs, Theresa May did not join in the applause for the outgoing premier. The former PM, who has made little attempt to disguise her distaste for Johnson’s leadership, rose to her feet but remained stony-faced and did not clap.

Labour MPs did not take part in the applause, heading for the exit doors as Johnson signed off with a list of his claimed achievements in office. Moments earlier, opposition MPs had shouted “No!” as veteran Tory MP Sir Edward Leigh asked if he could thank Mr Johnson for his service “on behalf of the House”.

The final PMQs of Mr Johnson’s three-year premiership came just 13 days after he was forced out by mass resignations, a cabinet revolt, and dozens of backbench MP expressing no confidence in his leadership of the country.

With the House of Commons set to go into the summer recess on Thursday, it is likely to be the outgoing prime minister’s last appearance at the despatch box, with a new Tory leader revealed on 5 September.

Addressing his colleagues just hours before Ms Mordaunt was eliminated from the leadership contest, leaving Sunak and Truss to go forward to a ballot of party members, Mr Johnson offered “some words of advice” to his successor, “whoever he or she may be”.

“Number one: Stay close to the Americans, stick up for the Ukrainians, stick up for freedom and democracy everywhere,” he said.

“Cut taxes and deregulate wherever you can to make this the greatest place to live and invest, which it is.”

In what appeared to be a thinly veiled swipe at his former chancellor Mr Sunak, who precipitated a slew of resignations a fortnight ago as he quit, Mr Johnson added: “I love the Treasury but remember that if we’d always listened to the Treasury we wouldn’t have built the M25 or the Channel Tunnel.”

He went on: “Focus on the road ahead, but always remember to check the rear-view mirror and remember above all, it’s not Twitter that counts.

“It’s the people that sent us here, and yes the last few years have been the greatest privilege of my life and it’s true that I helped to get the biggest Tory majority for 40 years and a huge realignment in UK politics.

“We transformed our democracy and restored our national independence... I’ve helped to get this country through a pandemic and help save another country from barbarism, and frankly, that’s enough to be going on with.”

The PM’s press secretary denied that Mr Johnson’s comments were intended to sway Conservative MPs’ votes in the fifth and final Westminster ballot on the leadership, which was taking place in the following hours.

“It is a long-standing convention for prime ministers not to comment on leadership elections,” she said.

She refused to confirm whether Mr Johnson had voted in the election for his successor or would do so later in the day.

And she brushed aside suggestions that his choice of words left the way open for a return, telling reporters: “It was his way of saying farewell.”

The Conservative 1922 Committee has received a 2,000-signature petition from Tory activists, calling for Mr Johnson’s name to be added to the ballot paper in next month’s vote for the new leader, alongside the candidates who take first and second place in the MPs’ vote today.

But the PM’s press secretary told reporters: “I think you heard him very clearly saying farewell in his role as prime minister in parliament today and talking about his record over three years and his advice for his successor.”