Theresa May has used her last appearance at prime minister’s questions to tell
Jeremy Corbyn to resign as
Labour leader.
In a spiky final exchange at the dispatch box, the prime minister – who will leave Number 10 on Wednesday afternoon after visiting the
Queen to hand in her official resignation – said the two were “very different politicians”.
What they do have in common is a “commitment to our constituencies”, May admitted.
“But perhaps I could just finish my exchange with him by saying this: As a party leader who has accepted when her time was up, perhaps the time is now for him to do the same.” The comment sparked huge cheers from the Tory benches – and a small smile from Corbyn himself.
Dudley North MP Ian Austin – who resigned from Labour in February after accusing the party of being anti-Semitic – later echoed the PM’s suggestion, saying: “The vast majority of Labour MPs agree with her too”.
May’s comments are not the first time an outgoing Tory prime minister has called on the Labour leader to step down.
Back in June 2016, David Cameron used one of his final appearances at PMQs to tell Corbyn: “For heaven’s sake man, go.”
“It might be in my party’s interest for him to sit there – it’s not in the national interest.”
May’s appearance in the Commons came just hours before
Boris Johnson – who was announced Tory leader on Tuesday – was set to become prime minister.
The former foreign secretary – who received almost double the number of votes his fellow contender Jeremy Hunt did in the leadership contest – is expected to announce the first appointments in his new Cabinet on Wednesday evening.
Among those expected to get jobs on Johnson’s frontbench include Priti Patel – who had to resign as international development secretary under May – current health secretary Matt Hancock and home secretary Sajid Javid. Related... How Boris Johnson, The Clown Prince Of
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