Despite suggestions earlier today that Amber Rudd - who is stepping down at the election - would be welcomed back into the Tory fold - that appears not to be the case.

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Image source, HoC

Tory veteran and Father of the House Ken Clarke has just asked his final question at PMQs.

Speaker John Bercow went on to pay tribute to the MP, who has been in the Commons for 49 years.

He is "one of the most popular and respected politicians in our country", Mr Bercow says, as MPs begin to applaud.

"He deserves the warmest appreciation.

"I thank him for this support and friendship over decades."

Mr Clarke is "a great man", Mr Bercow adds.

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Former Tory chancellor Ken Clarke joins in tributes to Speaker John Bercow as well, saying he had been "formidable" in defending the attempts to "increase the power of the executive at the expense of Parliament".

He wants to "show a veteran MP can still look forward" with his question to the prime minister, as it is also Mr Clarke's last appearance at PMQs before stepping down at the next election.

The Father of the House - meaning the longest serving male member - asks Boris Johnson about his plans for his relationship with the EU after Brexit.

"Can he give me some clarity on what he will seek to achieve if by chance he wins this election," he asks.

He says the UK should seek an arrangement "as near as possible to the current single market", and Mr Johnson's current aim for a free trade deal is an "extremely vague aspiration".

Mr Johnson says there will be "many ways" in which the UK will "stay close with our EU friends and partners.

"But also there will be important ways we seek to do thing differently," the PM adds.

Reality Check

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn clashed at PMQs on whether or not the NHS could be "on the table" in any future trade deal with the US, after Brexit.

Earlier this year, BBC Reality Check addressed just that issue.

You can read that piece here.

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Labour MP Jess Phillips says it is her son Danny's 11th birthday today.

But she says "thanks to the years of cuts voted for by this prime minister", hundreds of children in Birmingham are in "supersized classes" and only going to school 4.5 days a week.

Ms Phillips says to Boris Johnson: "I don't want to hear his fancy stock answers about Brexit or Russia from his little folder.

"I don't want to hear his campaign ad answer because my son won't be able to go to school on Friday, so his campaign answer doesn't do anything for me."

She continues: "The prime minister is responsible for the children in this country, and while he may struggle with that personally, I would like to know will he commit that there will be a maximum number of children in each class and every child will be able to go to school for five days a week?"

Mr Johnson wishes a happy birthday to Danny and says he will have the "best possible chance" not only of having funding for his school, but of getting a great job after.

"I hope she will reassure him on that point," he adds.

Warrington North Labour MP Helen Jones has announced she is to step down after 22 years in Parliament.

In a letter shared on Twitter, she say she does not think it would be fair to her constituents for her to stay on until she is 70. She's 65 now.

She writes: "I hope that I will be succeeded by another woman candidate, for there are still too few women in Parliament, but that is not for me to decide."

Ms Jones won the seat in 2017 with a majority of 9,582.

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Mr Blackford said he "thought it was Prime Minister's Questions, not a rant".

But he says Boris Johnson is "welcome" to campaign in Scotland, as "each time he comes to Scotland, he drives SNP support up".

He adds: "Scotland didn't vote for Brexit and we won't have it forced upon us.

"Isn't it clear the SNP is the only party standing up for Scotland's interests and respecting our democratic decision to stay in the European Union?"

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The "greatest damage" that can be done to Scotland's economy is breaking up with the UK, Mr Johnson says in response to Mr Blackford.

The prime minister says the SNP would "throw all" the benefits of a United Kingdom away for "borders at Berwick" and a Scottish currency.

"I look forward to contesting it at the barricades," he says.

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The leader of the SNP in Westminster, Ian Blackford, wishes Speaker John Bercow "all the best" and says "we salute you" for all he has done for democracy.

"You will always be welcome in Scotland."

But moving on to the prime minister, he says: "This prime minister's extreme Brexit will take a wrecking ball to the economy and cost Scotland and the United kingdom up to £70bn a year.

"Isn't the truth the PM is willing to throw Scotland under his big red bus to deliver his Brexit, no matter what the cost?"

Labour MP Teresa Pearce, who is one of those to announce she will step down at the upcoming general election, thanks her Erith and Thamesmead constituents for the "kindness" they have shown her.

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There is a "stark choice facing this country" in this election, Mr Johnson says.

He says Mr Corbyn is offering a "political disaster" with potentially two referendums - one on the EU and another on Scottish independence.

"We want next year to be a great year for our country - we are going to invest more in our NHS services, we are going to have more police officers on our streets," he says.

"We are going to invest in a fantastic infrastructure programme.

"And we are going to deliver a fantastic deal... a deal he has tried to block and we will deliver."

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Mr Corbyn criticises the response of the PM.

"My question was about somebody whose mother had died and she believed was due to the shortage of staff," he says.

"I would have hoped the prime minister would have tried to show some empathy."

He finishes his questions to Mr Johnson by doubling down on his NHS theme.

He says that GP numbers are falling, there are big nursing shortages, and the NHS has "suffered the longest spending squeeze in its history".

Speaking more to voters, Mr Corbyn adds: "The choice at this election couldn't be clearer.

"The people have a chance to vote for real change after years of Conservative and Lib Dem cuts.

"This government has put our NHS into crisis.

"It is a once-in-a-generation chance to end privatisation, give the NHS the funding it needs and all the staff it needs."

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There are 17,000 more doctors and more than 17,000 more nurses on our wards, Mr Johnson says.

He says he will look at Gillian's case.

He adds: "Leadership means standing up for the people of this country... standing up for our NHS... and above all it means getting Brexit done and ending dither and delay."

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Mr Corbyn says the PM's "words are hollow"

He quotes from a letter written to him by Gillian whose mother died in February, which she says was a "direct result of GP shortages".

He says: "Her last years were marred by long waits for treatment... and care given by dedicated but overstretched people."

Mr Corbyn asks: "Why should that happen to Gillian's mum or anyone else's mum?"

Tomorrow is John Bercow's last day as Speaker. Both Mr Johnson and Mr Corbyn paid tribute to his tenure:

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The NHS "is working harder than ever before", the PM says.

"If the people of this country want a horrific foretaste of what life would be like under Labour, look at the NHS in Wales."

He says targets "are routinely missed" there and cancer treatment targets "haven't been met since June 2008".

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Criticising privatisation, Mr Corbyn says: "Our NHS should be focused on making people better - not the wealthy few richer."

He then refers to new figures showing the NHS has "just had their worst September on record" and now need an extra 4,000 beds.

Mr Corbyn asks Mr Johnson if he can explain "why under his government the number of people waiting for operations reached a record high of 4.4 million?"