Will Boris Johnson eye No 10 return? Decoding BoJo's Terminator-style exit

Boris Johnson received a huge round of applause from Conservative MPs when he concluded his last session of Prime Minister's Questions (PMQ) on Wednesday (July 20).

He was greeted with cheering and chanting (just not by Theresa May for obvious reasons) from his recently mutinous MPs as if nothing happened in the past three-four months and he is leaving with a squeaky clean image, which is not the case.

Johnson's tumultuous term was marred by scandals, controversies, sleaze and whatnot. But his Arnold Schwarzenegger-style exit after his last PMQ portrayed quite a different picture.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

ALSOREAD |It’s Truss vs Sunak for the battle to be Britain’s next Prime Minister

To a standing ovation, Johnson bowed out by saying: "Hasta la vista, baby!"

We all know this popular catchphrase said by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1991 science fiction action film 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'.

'Hasta la vista' is a Spanish term that translates to "see you later". If this is what Johnson meant, then it appears he is dreaming of returning to 10 Downing Street. Even some commentators have hinted that he would be back.

To be precise, at the end of his PMQ, he came up with another invocation of Arnie's famous catchphrase: "I'll be back."

ALSO READ |Liz Truss: Main contender against Rishi Sunak in race to become next UK PM

I have followed UK politics very closely, since the 'Partygate' scandal was first reported. Johnson was slammed for his involvement in alcohol-fuelled, Covid lockdown-breaching parties.

I thought there would be an apology when Boris will wrap up the PMQ but it more or less looked like a soap opera or a dramatic Hollywood movie as he said "Mission largely accomplished - for now!"

If Hollywood is over with their love for Jane Austen adaptations, then 'Boris Johnson as PM' can be a good option.

Jokes apart, it was so shocking to see the MPs cheering for him as if they were not involved in bringing him down. When Rishi Sunak resigned as the finance minister, it led to a massive cabinet and ministerial walkout, eventually causing Johnson to resign.

ALSO READ |Rishi Sunak could become 11th Indian-origin leader in the world, joining 6 in office

Reports have even emerged that Johnson's Downing Street operation is running an "anyone but Rishi" campaign. Sunak faced accusations that he had conspired in the cabinet revolt.

But Boris praised the candidates who are battling to succeed him. The new leader is set to be announced on September 5.

Here's what he said:

Johnson's final PMQ

On the day when the race to become the next prime minister of the United Kingdom narrowed down to two — Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss - Boris delivered his final PMQ.

He said a lot of things, like telling his successor to "stay close to the Americans, stick up for the Ukrainians, stick up for freedom and democracy everywhere".

He told the PM candidates to "cut taxes and deregulate where you can to make this the greatest place to live and invest... focus on the road ahead but always remember to check the rearview mirror.

"And remember above all it's not Twitter that counts, it's the people that sent us here," he added.

Reflecting on his tenure, Boris said that "the greatest privilege" was the time in office. He also mentioned the Conservatives' landslide victory in the 2019 election and the Brexit deal.

He said: "We've transformed our democracy and restored our national independence... I've helped to 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."

Johnson defended his term

During his PMQ, Johnson defended his three tumultuous years in office - from Brexit to Covid vaccines to Britain's role during the Russia-Ukraine war.

But the question here is: Is Boris planning a comeback? His press secretary denied that he was already eyeing a political comeback. She said, "It was his way of saying farewell."

What will happen next, only time will tell. But it is for sure that at any rate, Boris is far from retired. He's definitelygoing to get book deals, writing and speaking fees in the millions.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.