Boris Johnson has compared himself to a "booster rocket" and a Roman statesman in a chaotic final speech where he took one last jibe at Tory MPs who ousted him.
The departing Prime Minister addressed the nation from outside No10 for the last time before he headed to meet the Queen at Balmoral to formally resign from office.
In a speech touting his achievements on Ukraine, Covid and Brexit, he vowed his successor would help Brits through a “tough time for the economy" and vowed the nation would "come out stronger.”
But he signalled he could make a comeback through a series of rambling metaphors as his allies cheered him on in an early morning speech outside the famous black door.
In a sign of his bitterness at being ousted by his own MPs, Mr Johnson said: "This is it folks. Thank you everybody for coming out so early this morning. In only a couple of hours I will be in Balmoral to see Her Majesty the Queen and the torch will finally be passed to a new Conservative leader.
"The baton will be handed over in what has unexpectedly turned out to be a relay race. They changed the rules halfway through, but never mind that now."
Mr Johnson insisted he would back his successor's Government and compared himself to a "booster rocket" and Roman statesman Cincinnatus in a series of chaotic metaphors for the end of his time in office.
He said: "On the subject of bouncing around in future careers, let me say I am now like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled his function and I will now be gently re-entering the atmosphere and splashing own invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific.
"And like Cincinnatus, I am returning to my plough. I will be offering this Government nothing but the most fervent support."
But in classic fashion, his choice of metaphors to suggest he's leaving frontline politics were not straightforward.
Booster rockets are usually rescued by boat after the crash into the sea and refurbished for reuse.
And 5th Century Roman politician Cincinnatus stepped down from political life to return to his farm but was recalled to serve a second time to suppress a popular uprising.
Mr Johnson urged his party to unite behind Liz Truss, who will officially become Prime Minister this afternoon.
"I say to my fellow Conservatives, it's time for politics to be over, folks," Mr Johnson said.
"It's time for us all to get behind Liz Truss and her team, and her programme, and deliver for the people of this country.
"Because that is what the people of this country want. That's what they need. And that's what they deserve."
He added that if his dog Dilyn and Larry, the No10 cat, "can put behind them their occasional difficulties, then so can the Conservative Party".
Mr Johnson will now travel to Balmoral to meet the Queen to quit his post. Ms Truss is also heading to Scotland to meet the monarch, who will ask her to form a Government.
The new PM is expected to make a speech later this afternoon.
