Today, as he continues his protracted departure from Downing Street, Boris Johnson will participate in his final round of Prime Minister’s Questions.
Today’s PMQs are the final ones before Mr. Johnson is replaced as the leader of the Conservative Party before MPs depart for their summer vacation starting tomorrow.
He will likely take use of the occasion to tout his accomplishments as the Prime Minister who completed Brexit, to emphasize Britain’s quick distribution of the Covid vaccination, and to call on his successor to continue his “leveling up” program.
A last jab at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, whom Mr. Johnson has already referred to as “Captain Hindsight,” “Sir Beer Korma,” and “Captain Crasheroonie Snoozefest,” may not be possible.
Standing ovations are now customarily offered to departing prime ministers at the conclusion of their final PMQs in the House of Commons.
It is uncertain how many members of the House would rise to their feet, since many Tory MPs have rebelled against Mr. Johnson’s government and many opposition MPs view him as a hate figure.
The warmth of the reception granted to Mr Johnson today is already the subject of speculation at Westminster.
Mr Johnson today is already the subject of speculation at Westminster.
One senior MP told MailOnline: ‘It will be interesting to see if he gets a good reception.
‘There might be a few boos as well as cheers. All previous PMs have been clapped out of the chamber.’
The benches should be full, but many may begin to leave before the finish, they continued. Today’s tasks for Tory MPs are numerous.
Both the Labour and Tory benches rose to celebrate Sir Tony Blair as he concluded his farewell PMQs, under the leadership of David Cameron.
And when Mr. Cameron and Theresa May concluded their final PMQs, Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party, steadfastly stayed seated, despite some Labour backbenchers standing to clap.
In recent years, the SNP has likewise declined to honor departed Tory prime ministers.
Conservative MPs will push for today’s session, which will start at noon and end sooner than that, to end sooner than Mrs. May’s final PMQs, which lasted more than an hour.
At 1pm, they are set to vote in the final round of the contest to replace Mr Johnson, with one of Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt due to knocked out the race this afternoon.
A final pairing will then be put to the Conservative Party’s wider membership with the results of grassroots vote to be announced on 5th September.
Mr Johnson will then formally hand over as PM to the new Tory leader on 6th September.
Barring any emergency events over the summer, today is Mr Johnson’s last scheduled appearance in the Commons as PM.
When speaking to MPs on Monday in advance of a vote on his government’s confidence, the prime minister provided a preview of his possible farewell remarks.
His Government had fought “some of the toughest yards in contemporary political history,” he boasted in a passionate defense of his tenure in office.
Mr. Johnson explained to the lawmakers how, despite having to make some of the “bleakest judgments since the war,” he had made the “important calls” correctly.
The PM is likely to have had some time to consider how to end his speech to MPs today as a former journalist and published author of several books.
In 2016, Mr. Cameron delivered his final PMQs and reminded lawmakers that “I was the future once” when he faced Blair as the leader of the opposition.
Sir Tony had made the following statement in the Commons nine years earlier: “I wish everyone, friend or foe, well and that is that, the end.”
Additionally, Mrs. May, who, unlike Sir Tony and Mr. Cameron, has stayed in the Commons, said to MPs in 2019 before handing over to Mr. Johnson: “That obligation to serve my constituents will remain my greatest incentive.”