‘Hasta la vista, baby’: Johnson bids farewell in final PMQs
Boris Johnson has told the nation it is “mission largely accomplished – for now” in his final parliamentary address as Prime Minister, while also invoking Arnold Schwarzenegger by declaring: “hasta la vista, baby.”
In a farewell address that referenced Winston Churchill and 1980s film The Terminator, Johnson told his successor to “stay close to the Americans, stick up for the Ukrainians, stick up for freedom and democracy everywhere” as he left the chamber to a standing applause from the Tory benches.
Johnson faced his final Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) this afternoon before he is replaced as Tory leader and Prime Minister in September.
Westminster will rise tomorrow for the six-week summer recess.
Referencing the pandemic, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle opened the proceedings by telling Johnson “you will always be remembered for the way you conducted [your] duties during those dark times”.
In answer to the final question of the session Johnson said “the last few years have been the greatest privilege of my life and it’s true that I helped to get the biggest Tory majority for 40 years and a huge re-alignment on UK politics”.
“We’ve transformed our democracy and restored our national independence. We’ve helped, I’ve helped, get this country through a pandemic and helped save another country from barbarism,” he said.
“Frankly thats enough to be going on with – mission largely accomplished for now.
“Hasta la vista, baby.”
He also gave further words of advice for his successor, which will now be either Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss or Penny Mordaunt.
“Cut taxes and de-regulate wherever you can to make this the greatest place to live and invest – which it is,” he said.
“I love the Treasury but remember – if we’d always listened to the Treasury we would have never built the M25 or Channel Tunnel.
“Focus on the road ahead, but always remember to check the rear view mirror and remember – it’s not Twitter that counts. It’s the people that sent us here.”