David Cameron insisted he was leaving Britain 'stronger' tonight as he said an emotional goodbye to Downing Street flanked by wife Samantha and their children.
In a parting speech before heading to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation, the Prime Minister admitted he had not got everything right.
'It's not been easy going and of course we havenot got every decision right. But I do believe that today our country is much stronger.'
Mr Cameron thanked his family for keeping him 'sane'' during his time in office.
He said he believed Therea May would provide 'strong and stable' leadership and he wished her well.
Mrs Cameron, 12-year-old Nancy, Elwen, nine, and five-year-old Florence - who has lived at the famous address for her whole life - were there to watch his final public statement in the role.
As the constitutional handover swings into effect, Mr Cameron will now go to see the Queen and formally tell her he is quitting.
After his audience with the monarch is over, Mrs May will take her turn - entering as Home Secretary and emerge as the new PM.
In a wise-cracking and sometimes emotional swansong at the Commons despatch box earlier, the Prime Minister said he would miss 'the roar of the crowd' as he was cheered to the rafters by Tory MPs.
Sam and the children were in the public gallery as glowing tributes were paid to his 'public service' and achievements in office.
David Cameron emerged from Downing Street flanked by wife Samantha and their children
He said his family had 'kept me sane' throughout his time as the leader of the country
Crowds had gathered outside Downing Street in anticipation of Mr Cameron's leaving speech and trip to the
Tory MPs gave him a rare standing ovation at the end of his performance, which included a slew of wise-cracks, as did some Labour MPs - but Jeremy Corbyn and most of his frontbench remained stubbornly in their seats.
Mr Cameron has been jousting at the regular clashes since becoming Conservative leader in 2005, when he first lined up against Tony Blair.
As the session kicked off, Mr Cameron as usual gave details of his engagements for the day, but joked: ‘Other than one meeting this afternoon with Her Majesty the Queen, the diary for the rest of my day is remarkably light.'
David Cameron admitted he would miss the 'roar of the crowd' as he took his last PMQs session before handing over to Theresa May
Mr Cameron was given a rare Commons standing ovation by Tory MPs - but Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour front bench remained stubbornly in their seats
Asking the first question, Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan paid tribute to the outgoing PM and suggested he might want to look at the vacancies for presenter of the BBC's Top Gear, the England football team or US president.
The MP said: ‘I’m told there are lots of leadership roles out there at the moment, there’s the England football team, there’s Top Gear, there’s even across the Big Pond a role that needs filling.'
Mr Cameron thanked him for the ‘fascinating suggestions for future jobs’ but added: ‘Most of which sound even harder than this one so I think I’ll pass.’
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Labour MPs sat in silence as Jeremy Corbyn, who is facing a major rebellion, rose to pay tribute to Mr Cameron.
But Mr Cameron could not resist responding with a jibe about Labour's failure to get a woman Prime Minister elected.
'When it comes to women prime ministers it’s two nil – and not a pink bus in sight,' he said.
The PM launched a series of parting shots at Mr Corbyn, likening him to the knight from Monty Python's Holy Grail film who has limbs chopped off but dismisses the injuries as a 'flesh wound'.
Mr Cameron paid tribute to his 'amazing' wife Samantha and children, who were watching from the public gallery
Mr Cameron was congratulated by colleagues cheering and patting him on the back after making his Commons swansong
Mr Corbyn paid tribute to the 'public service' Mr Cameron had given and recognised the impact it must have had on his family
Mr Cameron addressed a topic of much discussion this week – whether the 10 Downing Street cat Larry would be moving with the Camerons.
He told MPs: ‘The rumour that somehow I don't love Larry, I do... I can't take Larry with me, he belongs to the house and the staff love him very much, as do I.’
Mr Corbyn used his last question to wish Mr Cameron and his family well, as well as attempting to make a joke about the outgoing PM filling a new vacancy on Strictly Come Dancing.
He told Mr Cameron: ‘Could I just put on record and wish him well as he leaves this office and also to wish his family well...
'It’s the loved ones nearest to us and our families that actually make enormous sacrifices.
'I’d also like him to pass on to his mum my thanks on ties and suits and songs...
‘There’s a rumour going round that his departure has been carefully choreographed so he can slip seamlessly into the vacancy created this morning by Len Goodman’s departure.
'Can he confirm if that is correct?’
Mr Cameron said it was right to reflect on the burden carried by politicians' families, praising his 'amazing wife Sam and my lovely children'.
Mr Cameron mocked the Labour party’s current chaos in response to Mr Corbyn accusing him of failing to eradicate poverty.
David Cameron kicked off PMQs by joking that the rest of his diary for the day was remarkably light. He also laughingly rejected suggestions that he did not like Downing Street cat Larry, holding up a photo of the two of them
Proof of his love for Larry the cat was posted on Mr Cameron's Twitter account. Former Chancellor Ken Clarke was among those who paid tribute to Mr Cameron's mastery of the Commons chamber
Mr Cameron laughed with his successor as Prime Minister Theresa May during the Commons set-piece today
A RARE GLIMPSE OF CAMERON'S LAST PMQS - BUT A MINISTER IS DUE FOR A TELLING OFF
Tory Minister Robert Halfon today revealed the view from the second row of the House of Commons as David Cameron completed his valedictory Prime Minister's Questions.
Sitting almost directly behind Mr Cameron, the picture gives a rare glimpse of the Commons in action from an MPs perspective.
Unfortunately for the minister, there is a reason such snaps are rare: they are a breach of the strict Commons rules and Mr Halfon can expect a stern telling off from Commons speaker John Bercow.
As well as picturing Mr Cameron at the Despatch Box, Labour deputy leader Tom Watson can be seen, as well as allies of the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - including Dave Anderson, John McDonnell and Emily Thornberry.
At the top of the picture are journalists in the press gallery - an area of the chamber never caught by television cameras.
Mr Halfon - the minister without portfolio - said: 'Will not forget David Cameron's last PMQs: a decent man who did best for our country creating millions of jobs.'
The outgoing PM said: ‘To be accused of slow-thin delivery by the right honourable gentleman, let’s just take the last week – we’ve both been having these leadership elections.
‘We got on with it, we’ve had resignation, nomination, competition and coronation; they haven’t even decided what the rules are yet.
‘If they ever got in to power it would take them about a year to work out who sits where.’
Mr Corbyn, fresh from his party’s decision to allow him to automatically get on the ballot paper for its leadership election, replied: ‘Democracy is an exciting and splendid thing and I’m enjoying every moment of it.’
Mr Cameron also took the opportunity to mock Mr Corbyn’s style of asking questions from emails he receives from the general public.
‘I’m glad he mentions emails because actually I’ve got an email as well.’ Mr Cameron said.
‘Now, I got this on the 16 September 2015 from someone called Judith and she said this: “Please, please keep dignity and not triumphalism in the first PMQs today with Jeremy Corbyn. And she gave this reason.
'She said, "Because Tom Watson who may oust Jeremy Corbyn is a very different kettle of fish, he's experienced, organised and far more dangerous in the long term.
'She goes on: "So sensible, sober, polite answers to Mr Corbyn - let him create his own party disunity." - After this is over, I've got to find Judith and find out what on earth happens next.’
Mr Corbyn used his last question to joke about Mr Cameron’s jibe at his scruffy dress sense in an exchange earlier this year – when the PM said his mother would tell the Labour leader to ‘put on a proper suit, do up your tie and sing the national anthem’.
And wishing the Cameron family well, Mr Corbyn said: ‘Before I ask him the last question could I just put on record and wish him well as he leaves this office and also to wish his family well – Samantha and their children because I think we should all recognise that whilst many of us do enjoy our jobs and our political life, it’s the loved ones nearest to us and our families that actually make enormous sacrifices that enables us to do this.
Mr Corbyn joked: ‘I’d also like him to pass on my thanks to his mum for her advice about ties and suits and songs.
‘It’s extremely kind of her and I’d be grateful if he could pass that on to her personally and I’m reflecting on the lesson she offered.
‘But I’ve got one rumour that I’d like him to deal with. There’s a rumour going round that his departure has been carefully choreographed so he can slip seamlessly into the vacancy created this morning on Strictly by Len Goodman’s departure. Is that his next career?
Sadly Mr Cameron immediately ruled out taking the job, saying: ‘I don’t really have a paso doble so I can promise that’s not the case.’
He promised to pass his thanks onto his mother and praises Mr Corbyn for ‘taking her advice and looking absolutely splendid today’.
Reflecting on his time at the top, Mr Cameron said: ‘I will watch these exchanges from the backbenches. I will miss the roar of the crowd, I will miss the barbs from the Opposition but I will be willing you on and when I meant willing you on I don’t just mean willing on the new Prime Minister at this despatch box or indeed or just willing on the frontbench defending the manifesto that I helped to put together.I mean willing you all on because people come here with huge passion – the issues they care about.
'They come here with great love for the constituencies they represent.
'And also willing on this place, because yes we can be pretty tough and test and challenge our leaders – perhaps more than some other countries but that is something we should be proud of and we should keep at it. And I hope you will all keep at it and I will will you on as you do.
‘The last thing I’d say is you can achieve a lot of things in politics, you can get a lot of things done and that in the end – the public service, the national interest – is what it’s all about.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-
No comments:
Post a Comment