Cameron reflective yet full of humour for his final PMQs

In a more jovial session than is usual, tributes were paid to Mr Cameron for the achievements he made during his six years in power and he chose the introduction of gay marriage, boosting jobs and apprenticeships and increasing spending on the NHS as his personal highlights.

In his last comment on how he will now return to the backbenches, he said: “I will miss the roar of the crowd, I will miss the barbs from the opposition but I will be willing you on. When I say willing you on, I don’t just mean willing on the new Prime Minister at this despatch box or indeed just willing on the front bench defending the manifesto I helped put together, but I mean willing all of you on.

“Because people come here huge passion for the issues they care about. They come here with great love for the constituencies they represent and also willing on this place because yes we can be pretty tough and test, and challenge our leaders. Perhaps more than other countries but that is something we should be proud of and keep at it.

“The last thing I’d say is that you can achieve a lot of things in politics. You can get a lot of things done and that in the end, the public service, the national interest, that is what it is all about. Nothing is really impossible when you put your mind to it after all as I once said, ‘I was the future once’.”

Conservative party veteran and former Chancellor Ken Clarke, who fired Mr Cameron as his special advisor in the 1990s, said: “Can I first of all join all those in thanking the Prime Minister for the statesman like leadership he has given to our party and to the country for the past six years and to thank him particularly on this occasion for the debating eloquence but also the wit and the humour that he has always brought to Prime Minister’s Questions on a Wednesday.”

Mr Cameron wasted no time in getting stuck into his usual jokes at the expense of the opposition which Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responded to in fine spirit.

Mr Cameron likened him to the Monty Python character the Black Knight for his tenacity in digging in despite Labour MPs current attempt to oust him.

“He’s been kicked so many times, but he says ‘keep going it’s only a flesh wound’. I admire that!” laughed Mr Cameron, which left his MPs shouting ‘more, more!’.

Mr Corbyn then jokingly thanked Mr Cameron’s 81-year-old mother Mary for her advice on his outfits mocking the Prime Minister’s one-time vicious attack on his poor fitting suits over the despatch box.

He said: “Could I put on record and wish him well as he leaves this office and wish his family well. I would also like him to pass on my thanks to his mum for her advice about ties and suits. It’s extremely kind of her. And I’m reflecting on the lesson she offered.”

Mr Cameron said Mr Corbyn had clearly taken his mother’s advice and looked ‘absolutely splendid’.

He also said he wanted to put a rumour to rest that he did not like Larry, the famous Downing Street cat.

Brandishing a photograph of him with Larry on his lap, he said: “Sadly I can’t take Larry with me. He belongs to the house and the staff love him very much. As do I.”

With his wife Samantha Cameron and three young children looking on from the public gallery, he left the despatch box for the final time to a standing ovation from Conservative MPs. One member burst into tears.

While many Labour MPs chose not to clap, Doncaster Central MP and chief whip Rosie Winterton was among those who applauded.

Later today he will leave Downing Street with his family for a final time before attending Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen.

Theresa May then travels to meet the Queen herself to be given permission to form a Government and will return to Downing Street this evening.