Boris Johnson signed off his final appearance before Parliament at Prime Minister’s Questions in citing a particular California governor known for remarking “I’ll be back”, telling the chamber “hasta la vista, baby”.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced the House of Commons on Wednesday for the weekly ritual of Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), the last to take place before the house goes into its summer recess. Johnson’s appearance would consequently be the last PMQs of his time in power, assuming a handover to the next leader of the governing party takes place as planned on September 5th.
Trading blows with the constellation of left-wing opposition parties in Parliament over his record in office, Johnson used the final remarks of the debate to outline his own view of his legacy. Pointing out his historic election win giving the Conservatives a considerable governing majority, delivering Brexit, and rolling out coronavirus vaccines than other comparable nations, the outgoing PM said his mission was “largely accomplished, for now”. Boris said in Parliament:
The last few years have been the greatest privilege of my life. It’s true that I helped to get the biggest Tory majority for 40 years and a huge realignment in UK politics… we have transformed our democracy and restored our national independence.
We’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… I want to thank everybody here, and hasta la vista, baby!
Johnson’s final line of “hasta la vista” was met with rapturous applause from Tory MPs in the chamber, but some will naturally wonder what exactly what was meant by the collocation of mission accomplished “for now” and the quoting of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s touchstone catchphrase, which can be understood as ‘until next time’. Not forgetting, of course, the former Californian governor’s other Terminator-era moneymaker: “I’ll be back”.
‘Focus on the road ahead but always remember to check your rear-view mirror.’
‘Hasta la vista, baby!’
Boris Johnson closes his final PMQs as Prime Minister by offering ‘words of advice’ to his successor.
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