Boris Johnson has signed off in his final Commons look as prime minister by hurling insults at Keir Starmer, branding him a “pointless human bollard”.
Speaking from the well-known despatch field for the ultimate time, he additionally referred to as the Labour chief “Captain Hindsight” and boasted his successor would “wipe the floor” with him “like some household detergent”.
Sir Keir exploited Tory divisions by highlighting how the management candidates had “trashed every part” of Mr Johnson’s document, together with on tax and public providers.
He stated Liz Truss, the brand new favorite to take over at No 10, had hit out at former chancellor Rishi Sunak over his lack of a “plan for growth” – asking the prime minister if he agreed.
And he parroted the phrases of Penny Mordaunt, one of many three surviving candidates, who admitted that public providers beneath the Conservatives are “in a desperate state”.
But, calling Sir Keir “Captain Hindsight” as soon as once more, Mr Johnson alleged: “Every time something needs to be done, they try to oppose it, he’s a great pointless human bollard, that’s what he is.”
Later, in a unprecedented intervention within the race, the outgoing prime minister urged his successor to not “listen to the Treasury” – in a transparent assault on Mr Sunak, laying naked years of pressure.
He stated the subsequent prime minister ought to “cut taxes and deregulate wherever you can’, in what is likely to be seen as an endorsement of Ms Truss, who has promised the biggest tax cuts.
Boasting it was “mission largely accomplished”, Mr Johnson additionally sought to say among the credit score for Russia’s failure to beat Ukraine earlier this yr.
“I want to use the last few seconds to give some words of advice to my successor, whoever he or she may be,” the departing chief stated.
“Number one: Stay close to the Americans, stick up for the Ukrainians, stick up for freedom and democracy everywhere. Cut taxes and deregulate wherever you can to make this the greatest place to live and invest, which it is.
“I love the Treasury but remember that if we’d always listened to the Treasury we wouldn’t have built the M25 or the Channel Tunnel.”
He obtained a standing ovation from the Conservative benches, though – strikingly – his predecessor Theresa May didn’t take part with the clapping.
Mr Johnson additionally all-but confirmed he plans at hand out gongs to allies in a resignation honours record, telling MPs to “contain their excitement”.
Source: www.impartial.co.uk