Boris Johnson today boasted he was “proud” of his record as Tories lavished him with applause and gifts worth more than £3,000 at his final Cabinet meeting.
The chillaxing Tory has been accused of “clocking out” after he found time to ride in a Typhoon jet and host a party at Chequers - but not to attend three COBRA meetings on the heatwave - after being ousted by his own MPs.
But he did find time in his schedule today to gather his ministers - many of whom were replaced after a mass resignation to oust him.
As ministers banged the table to welcome him, he told them the Cabinet meeting was taking place a year on from England's "freedom day" when coronavirus restrictions were largely lifted, adding: “I’m proud of what we did.”
Weeks after Tories ousted him, ministers had a whip-round to give him a first edition six-volume set of Winston Churchill’s books about the Second World War.
The volumes in question - finely bound in red leather - sell for around £3,200 - meaning each of the 22 cabinet members chipped in around £150.
They also gave him a signed photo of the Cabinet in its most recent form - after the mass resignations - that was taken this morning.
And they applauded.
Ministers gave Boris Johnson “gifts to thank him for his service to the country”, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
"He was obviously very thankful for the gifts he received"
Ultra-loyalist Nigel Adams paid tribute to the PM’s service on behalf of the Cabinet.
There was no reference to the Tory leadership race during the meeting.
But the PM did refer to public sector pay awards for more than 2.2million Brits to be announced today, saying they were a “fair and sustainable settlement” - despite the fact they’ll be below inflation.
The PM also defended his record on the environment after a row over how committed his successor will be to climate policies.
Speaking as Westminster baked in a heatwave, Mr Johnson said: "With temperatures setting records in this country, who can doubt that we were right to be the first major economy to go for net zero?
"And I know it may be sometimes unfashionable to say this now, but it is the right thing to do.
"If we're going to protect our planet and if we're going to do the right thing to tackle global warming, it's essential that we set that lead."
Candidate Kemi Badenoch has blasted the Net Zero by 2050 policy as “unilateral economic disarmament”.
All candidates have said they would currently back the Net Zero 2050 target but several have ditched policies that would help achieve it - with Liz Truss vowing to pause green levies on energy bills.
Ms Truss, who was sat opposite the Prime Minister at the Cabinet meeting, has said the goal should be delivered in a way that "doesn't harm people and businesses”.
Mr Sunak has warned that if progress on the agenda is "too hard and too fast" it would lose public support.
The Tory leader is only due to resign on September 6 but Cabinet does not usually sit during Parliament’s summer recess - unless there’s an emergency.
At the meeting, Mr Johnson said it also offers a "massive economic opportunity to transition to millions of millions of clean, green technology driven jobs".
Mr Johnson said the Cabinet meeting was taking place a year on from England's "freedom day" when coronavirus restrictions were largely lifted.
The Prime Minister said: "I'm proud of what we did. Some, of course, I remember at the time, said that opening up in that way, opening up retail, opening up hospitality, opening up our country in the way that we did, they said it was reckless, they said it was going to be a threat to the world - I remember somebody saying.
"I've got to be honest, it wasn't an easy decision. We should never forget the suffering caused by that pandemic. And we grieve for the families of the many thousands of people whose lives were cut short.
"But I have to say, I do think it was the right decision."
Easing restrictions has helped the economy, with unemployment "the lowest for 50 years".
"It's because of the fundamental strengths of the economy that we have been able to help people with the cost of living right now, and £1,200 as you know is going to help the eight million most vulnerable households.
"We will continue to give help to households throughout this difficult time, throughout the summer, the autumn.
"We will continue to make sure we are looking at ways of abating the problems for those who need it most."
Mr Johnson indicated the lessons from the pandemic would be applied in the current heatwave.
"On another scorching, sweltering day I think it's very, very important that we think back to that moment that we opened up (after the lockdown) and try and balance risk with the need to keep our country, our society and our economy moving.
"I hope, Cabinet, that you are all agreed that as far as possible we should keep schools open and keep our transport system going as far as we possibly can."
The "fantastic NHS " would keep "providing for the people of this country in the way that they need and expect".
The Prime Minister told his Cabinet - hastily rejigged in the wake of the resignations which triggered his imminent exit from the role - to "bash on with our agenda".
