Boris Johnson was given parting gifts by his ministers on Tuesday to “thank him for his service”, after hosting what will likely be the final cabinet meeting of his time in No.10
The prime minister was handed six volumes of first edition Winston Churchill books from the Second World War.
Johnson’s spokesperson said all members of the cabinet chipped in to buy the gift to mark the PM’s departure.
The prime minister’s spokesperson said: “At the conclusion of cabinet, the prime minister was presented with gifts to thank him for his service to the country.
They added: “There was clapping.”
Johnson also received a signed photograph of the meeting in Downing Street.
Some of the cabinet ministers sat around the table, including chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, had told Johnson to resign.
MPs are due to leave Westminster for the summer at the end of this week and Johnson’s last appearance in parliament is set to be on Wednesday at PMQs.
A new Conservative Party leader will be announced on September 5 and unless there is an emergency, today’s cabinet meeting was Johnson’s last.
Johnson used his last cabinet to note it was taking place a year on from England’s “freedom day” when Covid restrictions were largely lifted.
“I’m proud of what we did,” he said. “I’ve got to be honest, it wasn’t an easy decision.
“We should never forget the suffering caused by that pandemic. And we grieve for the families of the many thousands of people whose lives were cut short.”
Tory MPs are voting in the latest round of the party’s leadership election today, with the result due to be announced at 3pm.
The candidate who comes last out of Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Penny Mordaunt and Kemi Badenoch will be knocked out.
Sunak is all but guaranteed to progress to the next stage, with the other three fighting to make it to the final two.
