David Cameron takes final bow as British PM

London. David Cameron’s last appearance in Parliament as British Prime Minister ended in a standing ovation after a bravura 36-minute performance that taunted his rivals, reflected on his legacy and confessed his love for the office cat, Larry.

After six years as leader, Mr Cameron will formally hand in his resignation to Queen Elizabeth later on Wednesday, passing control of the country to fellow Conservative Theresa May, who will be in charge of negotiating Britain’s exit from the EU.

He is leaving office under the shadow of Britain’s impending exit from the European Union — a career ending dramatically with his failure to keep Britain in the bloc.

The convivial atmosphere in Parliament contrasted sharply with the divisions in the country exposed by the referendum on which he had staked his reputation.

“Nothing is really impossible if you put your mind to it. After all, as I once said, I was the future, once,” he said.

Conservative backbenchers stood to cheer and applaud him as he left the chamber, turning to wave to his wife Samantha and children watching from the gallery.

Colleagues slapped him on the back and hugged him as he left, shaking hands with Speaker John Bercow as he went.

The response from Opposition MPs was polite, but not warm.

“The Prime Minister’s legacy will undoubtedly be that he has taken us to the brink of being taken out of the European Union, so we will not be applauding his premiership on these benches,” said Scots Nationalist MP Angus Robertson.

He recounted how, when he was the Opposition leader, he met mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York. “No one had a clue who I was until eventually someone said, ‘Hey! Cameron! Prime minister’s questions! We love your show!,” Mr Cameron said, attempting a US accent.

With lawmakers, media, aides and spectators jammed into every corner of the ornate debating chamber, Mr Cameron answered questions with the air of a man looking forward to an afternoon off. “This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others,” he said.

“Other than one meeting this afternoon with her majesty the Queen, the diary for the rest of my day is remarkably light,” he said to laughter, as his wife Samantha and their children looked on from the public gallery.

“We’ve both been having these leadership elections. We (Conservatives) got on with it: we’ve had resignation, nomination, competition and coronation. They haven’t even decided what the rules are yet,” he said, drawing roars of support from his side of the chamber.

“If they ever got into power it would take them about a year to work out who would sit where.”