After Cameron resigned as prime minister following the Remain camp’s defeat in the European Union referendum, Johnson had been tipped as a favourite to replace him at 10 Downing Street.
Advertisement
Mr Cameron concluded: “For me politics has always been about public service in the national interest”.
“I’ll never forget the day actually at Number 10 when one of the people who works very close to the front door said to me ‘I’m not that interested in politics Mr Cameron, but because of something your lot have done I’m able to marry the person I’ve loved all my life this weekend, ‘” he said.
“Clearly now we have a massive opportunity in this country to make a great success of our relationship with Europe and with the world and I’m very excited to be asked to play a part in that”, he told the BBC.
Mr Cameron’s youngest daughter appeared to be moved by her father’s words as she rubbed both her eyes during his final speech as prime minister.
“There was a feeling across the cabinet of great pride at what David Cameron has achieved over the last six years, sadness that it has ended, in a way, perhaps much quicker than people thought”, said Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
David Cameron has left 10 Downing Street for the last time as prime minister, as he set off on the short trip to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen and hand over the reins of power to Theresa May.
Mr Corbyn said that although he had often disagreed with the PM, he thanked him for his service over the last six years and praised him for his backing for equal marriage and his efforts to secure the release of Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo Bay.
Later, Queen accepted Camerons resignation.
Mrs May, who at 59 becomes the oldest incoming prime minister since Jim Callaghan in 1976, will then return to No 10 as the country’s second female prime minister, following in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher.
Mrs May suddenly won the Conservative leadership contest after rival candidate Andrea Leadsom pulled out on Monday.
The outgoing PM then smiled and waved to his wife Samantha, who was sitting in the busy public gallery with their children.
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.
Removal vans were spotted outside Downing Street on Tuesday, as Mr Cameron’s ministers paid tribute to him in his final cabinet meeting. The blond, Latin-speaking Johnson – a leader of the campaign for a British exit, or Brexit – had aspired to be prime minister himself before his bid failed because of party infighting.
In a clear bid to define the legacy that he will leave behind him, he spoke of his pride at reducing the deficit, introducing gay marriage, increasing global aid spending and reducing NHS waiting lists.
May is expected to begin appointing new Cabinet ministers as early as Wednesday evening – including a “Brexit” minister to oversee talks on a British EU exit from the 28-nation EU.
Advertisement
Asked her about her prospects, Ms Rudd told reporters: “I haven’t been told anything yet so I’m just going to get on with my day job”.
