Cabinet bids farewell to Boris Johnson… with Churchill books

A novel way to leave! Cabinet bids farewell to Boris Johnson… with a gift of rare Churchill books

• Cabinet colleagues bought the first edition set of six books by Winston Churchill
•  For a photo loyalists sat alongside those who tried to oust him earlier this month
• Boris Johnson will make his last Commons appearance as PM on July 20 
• Mr Johnson will be PM until September 5, when the party elects a new leader 

Boris Johnson was presented with a collection of Sir Winston Churchill’s books documenting the Second World War yesterday to mark his final Cabinet meeting as Prime Minister.

Cabinet colleagues organised a whip-round to purchase the first edition set of six volumes by the wartime leader, who was the subject of a biography by Mr Johnson.

The Cabinet then posed for a final group photo in the No 10 garden, during which ministers could be seen laughing and joking alongside the PM.

Bittersweet: Mr Johnson with the books

The gathering was a bittersweet moment, with loyalists sat alongside colleagues who had joined the bid to oust him earlier this month. While rebels such as Attorney General Suella Braverman and Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi grinned broadly for the cameras, diehard loyalist Nadine Dorries struggled to raise a smile.

Mr Johnson is due to make his final Commons appearance as PM at lunchtime on July 20 at the last weekly session of Prime Minister’s Questions before Parliament breaks for the summer recess.

He is expected to remain as Prime Minister until September 5, when the Conservative Party elects a new leader, but has ruled out making any major policy changes in his final weeks.

United front: The PM heads into frame for a final photo in the garden of No 10 yesterday with his Cabinet, including both loyalists and those who called for him to quit

The PM’s spokesman said Cabinet colleagues presented the PM with the Churchill books, worth around £750, at yesterday’s meeting. ‘The Prime Minister was presented with gifts to thank him for his service to the country, including first editions of Winston Churchill’s books on the Second World War,’ the spokesman said.

A long-time hero of Mr Johnson, Sir Winston chronicled the build-up to and the events of the Second World War in a famous series of books, informed in part by his own experience in government during the war.

As Mayor of London, Mr Johnson penned a best-selling book called The Churchill Factor on the former prime minister.

Rebels such as Attorney General Suella Braverman and Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi grinned broadly for the cameras, diehard loyalist Nadine Dorries struggled to raise a smile Pictured: Prime Minister Boris Johnson (centre left) holds a Cabinet meeting today

In a valedictory speech to the Commons on Monday, the PM said his government had had to fight some of the ‘hardest yards’ in modern political history.

He told MPs: ‘We got Brexit done even though the rejoiners and revengers were left plotting, planning and biding their time.’

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