Shameless Boris Johnson today boasted he will leave office with his “head held high” in an unapologetic PMQs.
The Prime Minister broke cover in Parliament for the first time since he sensationally resigned on Thursday.
After sleaze scandals over parties, ethics, donors and the £112k renovation of his flat, he finally forced out by his own MPs over claims he lied about what he knew of sexual harassment claims against a whip.
But in a rowdy session that saw two MPs get chucked out, Mr Johnson today said he was “proud” of his record in a defiant statement - even as Tory leadership contenders jostle to wipe out his record on tax and the government tables a confidence vote in itself.
And he hinted it could be his last Prime Minister’s Questions, despite the fact he is due to turn up next Wednesday for the last time.
Mr Johnson suggested the leadership contest could be cut off early before a ballot by members, despite the fact all contenders have voted to fight through the summer until a new leader is picked on September 5.
The PM jokingly thanked Keir Starmer for being “considerably less lethal than other members of this House,” adding: “Over three years in spite of every opportunity, he’s never really come up with an idea, a plan or a vision for this country.”
Despite Northern Ireland being unresolved and in chaos Mr Johnson added: “At the end of three years we got Brexit done, which he voted against 48 times.”
Tying his successors’ hands despite them pledging spending cuts, he added: “Every one of the eight candidates will continue with the biggest ever programme of infrastructure, skills and technology across this country.”
He went on: “It’s perfectly true that I leave not at a time of my choosing. It’s absolutely true.
“But I am proud of the fantastic teamwork that has been involved in all of those projects, both nationally and internationally.
“And I’m also proud of the leadership that I have given.
“And I will be leaving soon with my head held high.”
Labour ’s leader said the PM was “totally deluded to the bitter end” adding “I’m not going to miss this weekly nonsense from him.”
Keir Starmer said Tory stand-in ministers included a “new Northern Ireland secretary who once asked if you need a passport to get to Derry” and a junior minister “literally giving the middle finger to the public” outside No10.
“It is truly the country’s loss that they will only be in place for a few weeks”, he said sarcastically.
And the PM had racked up “a mortgage sized decorators bill that will soon be for someone else’s flat,” he added.
Boris Johnson’s Press Secretary said there were “no plans” for him to skip his final PMQs next week - but did not rule it out.
“The Prime Minister will be doing PMQs next week as things currently stand,” she told journalists.
Mr Johnson’s official spokesman also did not rule out him making foreign trips before he resigns as PM in September.
It’s understood Boris Johnson plans to go to Buckingham Palace to hand his resignation to the Queen on September 6, the day after his successor is named.
No10 refused to say whether he would rip out any of the £112,000 of furnishings he ended up paying to have put in the Downing Street flat - after originally trying to get a donor to foot the bill.
“That’s not a question I’ve asked,” his Press Secretary said.
No10 was also unable to say if the PM has started drawing up his resignation honours list, which could hand final gongs to cronies.
In the clash, Keir Starmer said Tory leadership candidates vowing to cut tax - after huge Tory tax hikes - were “acting as though they’ve just arrived from the moon”, “desperately rewriting history” and should “explain where they’re getting all this cash from”.
And he asked if Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi was “speaking on behalf of the government” when he said they were doing “nothing on the cost of living crisis”.
But hailing his successors Mr Johnson said: “Any one of them would wipe the floor with Captain Crasharoon Snoozefest.
“After a few weeks time that is exactly what they will do. They will unite around the winter and do just that.”
It came as the Tory leadership race to replace Mr Johnson plunged into bitter spats and lurched even further to the right, as MPs fought for support ahead of a crunch vote.
Top right-wingers this morning were splintering between Liz Truss - seen by many as battling Penny Mordaunt for a spot in the final two - and her ‘woke warrior’ rival Suella Braverman.
Ex-leader Iain Duncan Smith and European Research Group chief Mark Francois backed Ms Truss while David Jones and Bernard Jenkin came out for Ms Braverman.
But only two candidates can go to a vote of 180,000 Tory members and Rishi Sunak is widely expected to be one of them.
The stiff competition helped push the race further to the right - with candidates threatening to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and ditch the BBC licence fee.
Facing a ‘stop Rishi’ campaign from Boris Johnson ’s allies, Mr Sunak said Margaret Thatcher would have backed his plan to cut taxes more slowly than rivals.
Ms Mordaunt also leaned into trans and women’s rights as a “culture war” wedge issue. Also quoting the ex-PM she said: "I think it was Margaret Thatcher who said every Prime Minister needs a Willy. A woman like me doesn't have one."
MPs will hold their first of voting at 1.30pm and announce the result at 5pm - with any candidate who gets fewer than 30 votes being knocked out of the contest.
Mr Sunak topped 50 public backers today while Ms Mordaunt had 32, Ms Truss 26 and moderate Tom Tugendhat 21.
Boris Johnson’s Press Secretary denied anyone in No10 had either organised or taken part in an anti-Rishi Sunak campaign.
