MPs praise Cameron in his final PMQs before standing down

David Cameron believes he has clocked up 5,500 questions while Prime Minister – although joked he will leave it to others to decide how many he has answered.

After six years as leader, Mr Cameron handed in his resignation to Queen Elizabeth later on Wednesday, passing control of the country to fellow Conservative Theresa May, who will be in charge of negotiating Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The prime minister, who was scheduled to go to Buckingham Palace afterwards to tender his resignation to the Queen, told MPs he would “miss the roar of the crowd”.

A demob-happy David Cameron used his last appearance in parliament as Prime Minister to taunt embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, likening him to the hapless Black Knight comedy figure in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” who was unable to see when he was beaten.

David Cameron may well be on his way out, but the Downing Street cat, Larry, is staying on.

Conservative MPs were joined by Liberal Democrat former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and a number of Labour politicians in getting to their feet and applauding Mr Cameron as he finished his final turn at the despatch box.

It was a reference to his first-ever PMQs as newly-elected Tory leader in 2005, when he famously taunted then-Labour PM Tony Blair.

Knocking on the head Mr Corbyn’s suggestion that he was off to take the place of Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman, he said: “I don’t really have a pasa doble so no, I can promise that is not the case”.

Watched from the public gallery by wife Samantha and children Nancy, Elwen and Florence, Cameron paid tribute to the support he had received from his family, telling MPs: “The pressure often bears hardest on those around us in this job”.

“I’m beginning to admire his tenacity”, Mr Cameron said.

But Mr Corbyn said: “I’d also like him to pass on my thanks to his mum for her advice about ties and suits and songs”.

George Osborne, whose career was inextricably linked with Mr Cameron’s fortunes, has left government amid claims he was sacked.

Speaking of his pride at presiding over record employment, improved school standards, the introduction of gay marriage and lifting low-paid people out of income tax, Cameron told MPs: “You can achieve a lot of things in politics…”

Mr Cameron leaves behind one key ally in Number 10: Larry the cat.

“There’s the England football team, there’s Top Gear, there’s even across the big pond a role that needs filling”.

“This session does have some admirers around the world”. They come here with great love for the constituencies they represent.

He is being challenged for the job by Angela Eagle and Owen Smith, who today said he would also challenge Mr Corbyn.