UK parliament salutes Cameron in his last PMQs

David Cameron was given a standing ovation by Conservative MPs after his final Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.

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”.

Defending his achievements in office, he said there had been many “amazing moments” during his six years in power.

Home Secretary Theresa May was preparing to succeed Cameron later after her own audience with the Queen.

After taking office, May will then set about naming her own frontbench team.

Conservative MPs rose as one to applaud David Cameron at the end of his 182nd session as prime minister, as did former Lib Dem deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.

Labour MPs also joined in with the clapping, including leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Cameron told them that he intended to stay in public life and would be “willing them on”, saying “nothing is impossible”.

In his final remarks, he reprised a remark he made to Tony Blair during his first ever PMQs as opposition leader in 2005. saying: “I was the future once”.

During a generally light-hearted and jocular session of PMQs, Cameron said he had clocked up 5,500 questions at the despatch box, joking that he would leave it to others to decide how many he had answered.

He dismissed suggestions he would look to take over as the host of Top Gear or England manager, joking they “sound even harder” than being PM.

He also stressed his love for Larry the Downing Street cat – amid rumours that he was not a fan – a point he later emphasised on Twitter and swapped warm wishes with Jeremy Corbyn, saying he had almost come to admire the Labour leader’s “tenacity” in hanging on to his job.

Defending his economic, social and foreign affairs legacy, Cameron said there had been “many amazing moments” over the past six years of “public service in the national interest”.

David Cameron says he will miss Larry the cat, who will stay at Downing Street 10https://t.co/2mJn249GpW

— RT (@RT_com) July 13, 2016

He “warmly congratulated” Theresa May, who sat next to him during the session, on her election and told Corbyn that “when it came to female prime ministers I am pleased to say pretty soon it is going be two-nil”.

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.

The Labour leader also paid tribute to Cameron’s wife Samantha and their family, who watched the proceedings from the public gallery.

His daughters Nancy and Florence were seen to give their father a wave and cheer him on during the session.

May, who at 59 becomes the oldest incoming prime minister since Jim Callaghan in 1976, will return to No 10 as the country’s second female prime minister after her audience with the Queen, following in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher.

She is expected to briefly address the nation before meeting top officials, including Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heyward, and receiving a full national security and defence briefing.

She will be asked to hand-write letters to the commanders of the UK’s four Trident submarines about what to do in the event of a catastrophic nuclear attack on the UK and to appoint two nuclear “deputies” – ministers who will take decisions on the deterrent if she has been rendered incapable.

She is also expected to take calls from a number of foreign leaders. Late on Wednesday, she will get down to the work of putting together her government - with key appointments set to be announced within hours.

May, who backed a vote to remain in the EU, will unveil her full ministerial team over the next couple of days, with the focus on the key positions of chancellor and foreign secretary as well who will be put in charge of leading the Brexit negotiations.

She is expected to promote a number of women to senior positions, with International Development Secretary Justine Greening and Energy Secretary Amber Rudd among those likely to get upward moves.