Hasta la vista: Johnson bids farewell to MPs as tenure nears termination

(Update: adds leadership race details)

London, Jul 20 (EFE).- Boris Johnson on Wednesday brought his final prime minister’s questions session in parliament to a close with a message of “hasta la vista, baby” to lawmakers.

Johnson is poised to stand down in September following a flurry of resignations last month over his increasingly scandal-laden leadership.

“I want to thank everybody here,” he told MPs on Wednesday during the weekly PMQs, when the prime minister takes questions from the House of Commons, the country’s lower parliamentary chamber, and the leader of the opposition.

He signed off with a catchphrase popularized by the 1984 movie Terminator, telling MPs: “Hasta la vista, baby.”

It prompted a standing ovation from his own Conservative Party.

Johnson used the session to reflect on his tenure, which began in July 2019, and imparted advice to the winning candidate in the ongoing leadership race.

“Number one, stay close to the Americans, stick up for the Ukrainians, stick up for freedom and democracy everywhere,” he said.

Johnson said his time as prime minister was “the greatest privilege” of his life and that he was proud to have “largely accomplished” his mission.

“We’ve helped, I’ve helped, get this country through a pandemic and helped save another country from barbarism.

“And frankly, that’s enough to be going on with. Mission largely accomplished, for now.”

Former finance minister Rishi Sunak and foreign secretary Liz Truss are the two final contenders to replace Johnson as prime minister and party leader after the summer.

Sunak is heavily favored to take over, with 137 Tory MPs voting for him in the latest ballot for leadership of the party on Wednesday.

Truss came second with 113 votes, kicking secretary of state for trade, Penny Mordaunt, who garnered 105 votes, out of the race. EFE

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