David Cameron has said he will miss the “barbs” at PMQs. Here are some of the best bits from his final performance at the despatch box:
On Theresa May taking over the reins:
“When it comes to women prime ministers, I am very pleased to be able to say that pretty soon it is going to be 2:0 (to the Tories) and not a pink bus in sight.”
On the Labour leadership contest:
“Let us take the past week. We have both been having leadership elections. We got on with it. We have had resignation, nomination, competition and coronation. The Opposition have not even decided what the rules are yet. If they ever got into power, it would take them about a year to work out who would sit where.”
On Jeremy Corbyn’s “tenacity”:
“He is reminding me of the Black Knight in ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’. He has been kicked so many times, but he says, ‘Keep going, it’s only a flesh wound.’ I admire that.”
On veteran Tory Kenneth Clarke being hard to get hold of:
“I remember that one of the toughest conversations I had in politics was when I was leader of the opposition and I was trying to get him to join my front bench. He was on a bird-watching holiday in Patagonia; it was almost impossible to persuade him to come back. He is not always the easiest person to get hold of – Tory modernisation has never quite got as far as getting Ken Clarke to carry a mobile phone. He did briefly have one, but he said, ‘The problem is that people keep ringing me on it.’ In opposition, I seem to remember that we had to move our morning meeting to accommodate his 9 o’clock cigar.”
On claims he does not get on with Larry, the Downing Street cat:
“I do, and I have photographic evidence to prove it (shows a photo of the two of them together). Sadly, I cannot take Larry with me; he belongs to the house and the staff love him very much, as do I.”
On the world’s perception of PMQs:
“This session does have some admirers around the world. I remember when I was doing the leader of the opposition’s job and I met Mayor Bloomberg in New York. We walked down the street and everyone knew Mike Bloomberg. Everyone came up and said, ‘Mayor, you’re doing a great job.’ No-one had a clue who I was, until eventually someone said, (does American accent) ‘Hey, Cameron. Prime Minister’s Questions – we love your show!'”
Jeremy Corbyn had some of his own too.
On receiving tips from Cameron’s mother:
“I would like him to pass on my thanks to his mum for her advice about ties, suits and songs. It is extremely kind of her, and I would be grateful if he would pass that on to her personally. I am reflecting on the lesson that she offered.”
Cameron joked he appeared to have been taking her advice, remarking that his rival looked “absolutely splendid”.
On Cameron’s plans for the future, Mr Corbyn said:
“I have one rumour that I want the prime minister to deal with. There is a rumour going round that his departure has been carefully choreographed so that he can slip seamlessly into the vacancy on ‘Strictly’ that was created this morning by Len Goodman’s departure. Is that his next career?”
Cameron’s response:
“I do not really have a pasa doble, so I can promise that that is not the case.”
