David Cameron signs off with some advice on EU

David Cameron signed off as British prime minister with advice for successor Theresa May to keep the UK “as close to the European Union as possible”.

After being forced out of the premiership by last month’s referendum vote to quit the EU, Mr Cameron won a standing ovation from Conservative MPs and applause from some of the opposition as he ended his last session of Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons by telling them: “I was the future once.”

Urged by veteran Tory Kenneth Clarke to remain an “active participant” as the House copes with the fallout from Brexit, Mr Cameron said: “I will watch these exchanges from the back benches.