Labour MPs gave Keir Starmer a standing ovation at his last PMQs today – despite brutally ousting him after a disastrous two years in power.

The premier paid an emotional tribute to his family and insisted he was leaving the country in a better place as he signed off with: ‘To my wife and children, I love you. Goodbye.’

Chancellor Rachel Reeves – also set to lose her job – was in tears next to him as the Labour benches rose to clap him out. Kemi Badenoch and the Tories stayed resolutely seated.

Sir Keir, who has suffered an extraordinary fall from grace since his monster election landslide in July 2024, was cheered into the chamber for the weekly set-piece.

The Speaker praised ‘his public service, his international leadership… his steadfast support for Ukraine‘.

Mrs Badenoch pointed out Sir Keir had predicted she would not last long as Tory leader, quipping: ‘Life comes at you fast!’

Sir Keir declined to take a shot at rival Andy Burnham – who was not in the Commons as he prepares to take over in Downing Street on Monday – when asked what advice he would offer.

‘I will give my wholehearted support. I want this Labour Government to be a success,’ he said.

As his tearful wife Lady Starmer and their two children watched from the Commons’ gallery, Sir Keir said he believed the country was in ‘better shape than I found it’.

‘Every Prime Minister knows when they take up the torch that the day will come when they have to pass it on. That day has come for me. This is the end of my political journey,’ he insisted.

Earlier the PM held a final Cabinet meeting in No10, where ministers presented him with a carriage clock and two bottles of wine.

Keir Starmer took his last PMQs today as Andy Burnham frantically gears up to run the country

Chancellor Rachel Reeves – also set to lose her job – was in tears next to Sir Keir as the Labour benches rose to their feet

Hundreds of Labour MPs – most of whom have been plotting determinedly to get rid of Sir Keir – gave him an emotional standing ovation

Kemi Badenoch pointed out Sir Keir had predicted she would not last long as Tory leader , quipping: ‘Life comes at you fast!’

Sir Keir paid tribute to his prime ministerial team who had been ‘prepared to walk through fire’ for him.

Indicating people in the gallery who had been invited to watch the session after being helped by the Government, he said: ‘To all those in the gallery whose lives have been changed or improved by this Labour Government, and all across the country who struggle to be seen or heard, you’re the reason I came into politics.’

Sir Keir has been rushing out a slew of announcements as he tries to forge some sort of legacy.

Meanwhile, Mr Burnham has been racking up even more nominations from ‘crawling’ Labour MPs as his coronation moment nears. An extraordinary 369 MPs – 92 per cent of the Parliamentary party – have now endorsed the former Greater Manchester Mayor.

Only one nomination has been made for anyone else, with backbencher Neil Coyle proposing Catherine West for leader – even though she has nominated Mr Burnham.

‘There was no room left to crawl into Andy Burnham’s backside,’ he told Politico.

Opening PMQs, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle thanked Sir Keir ‘for his public service, his international leadership, particularly in his steadfast support for Ukraine’.

He added: ‘I am sure members will wish to join me in wishing him and his family well in the future.’

Mrs Badenoch said: ‘I remember when I started this job, the Prime Minister was very helpful to me, saying that I wouldn’t last the year. Life comes at you fast…

‘But everyone in politics would do well to remember how quickly political fortunes can change. I know that he has been asked and he’s been diplomatic, but on that note: does he have any advice for his successor?’

A laughing Sir Keir responded: ‘I will give my wholehearted support to my successor. I want this Labour Government to be a success. I want our country to be a success. I shall give my support privately if asked for, not publicly when not asked for.’

Sir Keir was also given a standing ovation by the Cabinet this morning

David Lammy organised a whip round for Sir Keir’s leaving present from the Cabinet

After Mrs Badenoch suggested Mr Burnham should be extending the Parliamentary term to face questions next week, Sir Keir replied: ‘As Prime Minister, I’ve participated in over 60 PMQs. Always a pleasure. Always something to look forward to. And I’ve answered, or at least given answers, 2,800 times, and I’m sure she will question my successor in the same way.’

Jockeying for positions in Mr Burnham’s team is at fever pitch, despite him insisting no decisions have been made.

There is briefing from allies of the PM-in-waiting that Ed Miliband’s prospects of becoming Chancellor are waning, with MPs warning the Net Zero Secretary would be too ‘risky’ and businesses taking fright at his left-wing views.

Shabana Mahmood and Yvette Cooper are among the other names in the frame for the key job.

Darren Jones, a key ally of Sir Keir, confirmed he was ‘definitely’ not going to remain in post next week, telling LBC he had been ‘writing a handover note’ and ‘tidying up loose ends’.

He admitted it had been difficult to get anything done during the transition period, adding: ‘I’ve not been able to make new decisions in the last couple of weeks. I’ve been able to respond to issues, whether it’s national security related or operational issues, but essentially, I’ve been spending my time making sure that’s looked after.’

Mystery remains over Mr Burnham’s plans on almost all policy areas.

He gave another vague signal last night after making his first speech in the Commons since returning as an MP last month.

He told reporters that the cost of living is ‘the issue of our times’, referring once more to his bus projects in Manchester.

‘If we want to connect politics better with people, well, let’s deal with some of the pressures people are under in terms of the everyday cost of transport, the bills that they’re paying. I heard it so often on doorsteps in the campaign,’ he said.

‘You know, life has changed for people, and it’s not necessarily got better. And I think we just need to be relentlessly focused on that.’

Sir Keir, who spent the last two days in France where he bizarrely received the Legion d’honneur from Emmanuel Macron, is said to be sad but philosophical about the crumbling of his political career.

Cabinet is giving him a carriage clock this morning after deputy David Lammy organised a whip-round. He is likely to attend the World Cup final in the US on Sunday if England manage to beat Argentina tonight.

‘It’s not the way he wanted it to end, but he is doing the right thing by the country and the party,’ one close ally told the Daily Mail.

‘He won’t be shouting from the sidelines.’

The outgoing PM held a reception last night for campaigners whose causes he had supported.

Mr Burnham was not in the Commons for PMQs. He has been racking up even more nominations from ‘crawling’ Labour MPs as his coronation moment nears

Neil Coyle proposed Catherine West for leader – but the ‘flattered’ MP said she has nominated Mr Burnham

There is briefing from allies of the PM-in-waiting that Ed Miliband’s prospects of becoming Chancellor are waning

The Prime Minister said: ‘I’m pleased to have delivered on the promises that I made to many people in this garden, and I’ll make this last promise, which is I will stand with you and walk with you for as long as I’ve got breath in my body.’

In a sign of the closer relationship he has tried to forge with European neighbours, he also attended Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on Tuesday with Emmanuel Macron, who awarded him the Legion d’honneur in recognition of his work with France on European security.