It was trademark Boris Johnson.

He spoke about his greatest hits, there was humour in there – and it was tinged with sadness.

But it was also a very dignified speech, in which he held his head high.

The prime minister accepted that he didn’t want to leave.

And one thing about Boris Johnson is he doesn’t really give you much emotion, but what he does is use language to show the emotion.

He said it was painful not to be able to see through the projects.

He said how proud he was to have got Brexit done and, in his words, to give the country back the power to make its own laws.

What next? Now Boris Johnson has resigned, ten questions that explain what could happen

Boris Johnson appointed new cabinet moments before he resigned as prime minister

Boris Johnson resigns as prime minister, saying: ‘No one is remotely indispensable’

The prime minister said how much he wanted to stay on, but that the “Darwinian system” will produce another leader who he would give as much support as he could.

He is a journalist, he is a good writer, and he does good oratory, which his conclusion reflected.

He said it “might feel dark now, but the future together is golden”.

There were no tears – just massive applause – and then he went back inside Number 10, thanking his wife, Carrie Johnson, who was watching on with their nine-month-old baby.

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