Something Boris Johnson said in his final speech hints at his return

Never one to go quietly, Boris Johnson appeared to make a coded reference to his potential return to frontline politics in his final speech.

The outgoing prime minister appeared outside Downing Street today one last time, to chat a bit of nonsense before Liz Truss arrived to take office.

In his speech, he appeared to complain about his removal. “The baton will be handed over in what has unexpectedly turned out to be a relay race – they changed the rules halfway through, but never mind,” he said.

He also praised his government's record on Brexit and vaccines and promised "fervent" support to Truss. Signalling he would go with dignity, he said that, like the boosters jettisoned as a space rocket streaks skywards, “I will now be re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific”.

But he also compared himself to Cincinnatus and said he was "returning to my plough".

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What's the problem? Cincinnatus was a Roman leader who returned to work on his farm after saving the Roman republic. All very arrogant but here's the kicker - Cincinnatus came back to rule once more after another uprising, according to historians.

It didn't go over people's heads:

That's a wrap from Johnson, hopefully.

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