Boris Johnson has received a standing ovation from loyal Tory MPs as he signed off his final prime minister’s questions, telling his successor to “always check the rear view mirror”.
But the PM sparked speculation that he may be planning a comeback by signing off with Arnold Schwarzegger’s catchphrase “Hasta la vista baby”, and telling MPs: “Mission largely accomplished… for now.” The Spanish phrase “Hasta la vista” means “See you later”.
Aides were forced to deny he was trying to swing votes in the Tory leadership election as he took a swipe at the Treasury, formerly led by Rishi Sunak, and hailed the achievements of the Foreign Office, led by his rival Liz Truss.
In a breach of Commons etiquette, Tory MPs rose to their feet to applaud Johnson on what is almost certainly his last appearance in the House of Commons as PM. Predecessor Theresa May, who has made little attempt to disguise her distaste for Johnson’s leadership, rose to her feet stony-faced but – almost alone among Tory MPs – 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 collleagues, Mr Johnson offered “some words of advice” to his successor, “whoever he or she may be” as Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt, and Liz Truss vie to replace him in No 10.
“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 this summer’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.”
Mr Johnson’s use of the phrase “Hasta la vista” – popularised among English speakers by Schwarzenegger’s Terminator movies – was typical of his practice of peppering political statements with references to popular culture, and followed his comment on his forced resignation: “Them’s the breaks.”
Ironically, one of the most recent uses of the phrase in the Commons chamber, in 2011, was by Tory MP Christopher Pincher, whose resignation as a whip after admitting drunken groping in a private club was the final straw which led to Johnson’s downfall.
Meanwhile, Labour sources said they were looking forward to a summer of televised hustings and debates between the final two contenders for the Tory leadership, after their compilation of blue-on-blue attacks from earlier clashes scooped more than 2m views on social media.
“Given the box office fodder they provide, they are irresistable viewing,” said a senior Labour spokesperson. “We are very happy for the Conservative contest to get all the publicity it has done. It is right that the public get a chance to see the canddiates to be prime minister.”
