Often it is easy to dismiss Prime Minister’s Questions as pantomime. The jeering and cheering, the Punch-and-Judy nature of exchanges, evasiveness of incumbent leaders and puritanism emanating from the Opposition benches. However, it is an example of our quaint and often imperfect democracy in action.

Yesterday’s exchanges represented Rishi Sunak’s last ever PMQs as leader of the Opposition.

The former Prime Minister could have walked away indignantly after leading the Tory party to one of its worst electoral defeats in the summer.

But to his credit the MP for Richmond and Northallerton remained as the leader of the Tory party as it chose the next one in another interminably long leadership contest.

Conservative party leader Rishi Sunak speaking during Prime Minister's Questions. PIC: House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire

If anything, the former PM has shown the best of his character after being removed from 10 Downing Street and if he sees through his promise of continuing as a Yorkshire MP, then he will be seen as a true public servant.

It was good to hear Mr Sunak pay tribute to Yorkshire at his final ever PMQs before he returns to the backbenches.

He joked that he was looking forward to spending more time in the “greatest place on Earth” where the scenery is “worthy of a movie set”, adding: “If anyone needs me, I will be in Yorkshire.”

In parliamentary parlance hear, hear.

There had been a lot of speculation that the former PM would jet off to California and start a new life there. But Mr Sunak described himself as “an adopted Yorkshireman” and that he was looking forward to doing the “Coast-to-Coast walk that runs through my constituency”.

Rishi Sunak has never been more right when he says Yorkshire is the “greatest place on Earth”

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