As we've reported, Boris Johnson received a standing ovation from the Conservative benches when he signed off from his final PMQs.

But eagle-eyed observers have noticed his predecessor in No 10 - Theresa May - did not show quite such enthusiasm.

The former PM - seen below on the left in the light green - eventually followed her colleagues in standing up, but did not join in with the clapping.

Image source, Parliament

Ione Wells
Political Correspondent, BBC News

The corridor outside the room where Tory MPs are voting is also just a functioning route through parliament - meaning you get a few opposition MPs walking through the drama.

Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, pops his head in, joking that he was once invited to join the Conservative party.

A Tory MP puts an arm around him and chuckles.

Another Scottish Conservative Tory jokes, “I knew you’d come across.”

It’s the kind of cross-party conviviality you rarely get a flavour of in the House of Commons chamber.

The vote to choose the final two contenders vying to become the next leader of the Conservative Party will be closing in the next twenty minutes.

Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt are battling it out to secure one of the two places in the run-off to be the next prime minister.

After voting closes at 15:00 BST, a result is expected at 16:00.

From there, the focus moves to party members who will decide on the new leader, with hustings to be held around the country from Friday 22 July.

The winner will be announced on Monday 5 September after a postal ballot, completed by around 160,000 Tory party members.

Image source, .

Image source, EPA

There's been some confusion this afternoon over whether Tobias Ellwood can vote for the next Tory leader in today's final ballot of MPs.

Earlier we reported that the senior MP would not be able to do so after he lost the party whip for not supporting the government in Monday's confidence vote (he says he was in Moldova).

Hours later, he tweeted to say he would in fact be able to vote when doors opened at 13:00, after having the whip temporarily returned. But he's since deleted that tweet, leaving onlookers baffled.

A whips' office spokesperson has since confirmed in a statement that Ellwood has had the whip "temporarily unsuspended" to ensure the office's "neutrality in the leadership contest cannot be questioned".

Upon the conclusion of today's leadership contest, Ellwood "will have the whip suspended" again, they add.

Ellwood has previously said he's supporting Penny Mordaunt in the leadership contest.

Peter Saull
BBC Political Reporter

I've just been talking to a Conservative MP who’s backing Penny Mordaunt for the leadership about the last-minute scramble for votes.

All of the candidates have been working the Commons tea rooms today to win support, she says.

But, she adds, for undeclared MPs “nowhere is safe” and she’s even seen some of the campaign teams trying to persuade waverers in the ladies’ toilets.

'Lone wolf tactical voting'published at 14:18 British Summer Time 20 July 2022

14:18 BST 20 July 2022

Ione Wells
Political Correspondent, BBC News

There have been many rumours swirling around about whether “dark arts” have been going on behind the scenes - involving MPs voting tactically to keep certain people out.

In particular, many were a bit baffled at how Liz Truss gained 15 votes yesterday when Tom Tugendhat’s were up for grabs.

Some senior MPs backing Rishi Sunak’s campaign say they think a few of his supporters may have done some “lone wolf” tactical voting yesterday. They thought there were about 15 MPs who backed Tugendhat moving over to Sunak’s camp - but in fact the former chancellor gained only 3.

As a result, some in Sunak’s team think some of their colleagues voted tactically to keep Truss in the final two with their candidate. I’m told Sunak backer Mel Stride urged colleagues not to do this today, and to back Sunak and not play games - given the margins are too tight and nothing is yet guaranteed.

A senior MP who is rallying support for Liz Truss also doesn’t buy the idea there are “dark arts” going on, arguing Team Sunak are “fighting 110% to hold on to every vote.”

But, he adds, he's confident Truss has the numbers to make it through “barring some subterranean explosion”.

Earlier today Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss kept their thoughts to themselves ahead of today's Tory leadership vote.

Neither candidate spoke to the waiting media this morning.

Truss - who remains a serving Cabinet minister - could be seen on the front bench near Boris Johnson during PMQs a little earlier.

Sunak, of course, resigned as chancellor on 5 July and no longer holds a ministerial post.

Penny Mordaunt, the other leadership contender, remains a junior minister in Johnson's government.

Reality Check

Back to PMQs now and a quick look at one of Boris Johnson's claims.

The prime minister has repeatedly talked about the UK having the fastest-growing economy in the G7, which is a group of advanced economies.

In 2021, the UK grew by 7.4%, which was the fastest in the G7, but that followed its 9.3% contraction the previous year, which was the biggest decline in the group.

In 2022, the IMF forecasts the UK will have 3.7% growth, the joint second highest in the G7 (behind Canada), but that it will then fall to 1.2% in 2023, which would be the lowest rate in the bloc.

Peter Saull
BBC Political Reporter

Back in a sweaty corridor in Parliament (where the temperature doesn’t seem to have dipped since yesterday), MPs have started to file in to vote in the final round of the first phase of the Conservative leadership contest.

A queue formed outside just before 13:00 and as the door to Committee Room 14 opened, a cabinet minister could not hide his impatience, saying: “Let’s get bloody voting!”

I watched as two senior figures in the Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak campaigns walked in side-by-side, deep in conversation. Could their candidates be in the run-off?

Team Truss is in bullish mood, insisting they have the numbers to push Penny Mordaunt out of the contest.

But this race is very difficult to predict - and Penny Mordaunt’s supporters have embarked on a last-minute charm offensive to win over any wavering voters.

A Sunak supporter meanwhile tells me yesterday’s numbers “weren’t right”, suggesting some of his colleagues may be trying to engineer an ideal final two.

Even at this late stage it’s still all to play for.

"I want to use the last few seconds to give some words of advice to my successor whoever he or she may be.

"Stay close to the Americans, stick up for the Ukrainians, stick up for freedom and democracy everywhere.

"Cut taxes and deregulate wherever you can to make this the greatest place to live and invest. I love the Treasury, but remember, if we'd always listened to the Treasury we wouldn't have built the M25 or the Channel Tunnel.

"Focus on the road ahead but always remember to check the rear view mirror. And remember above all, it's not Twitter that counts. It's the people that sent us here.

"The last few years have been the greatest privilege of my life and it’s true that I helped to get the biggest Tory majority for 40 years and a huge realignment in UK politics.

"We’ve transformed our democracy and restored our national independence. I’ve helped to get this country through the pandemic and helped save another country from barbarism.

"And frankly that’s enough to be going on with. Mission largely accomplished for now.

I want to thank you Mr Speaker, I want to thank all the wonderful staff at the House of Commons, I want to thank all my friends and colleagues, I want to thank my right honourable friend opposite, Mr Speaker and, I want to thank everybody here and...

"Hasta la vista, baby."

Image source, Parliament TV

With it being Boris Johnson's final PMQs as prime minister, some of his fellow MPs were keen to have their thoughts put on the record.

As we reported earlier, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle began today's proceedings by saying Johnson would be remembered for all he, and the Commons, did "during dark times", making specific reference to the Covid pandemic.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer joked that a relationship between a PM and leader of the opposition "is never easy", but wished his opponent and his family well.

And from the Tory benches:

• Jake Berry congratulated his “friend” Johnson, commending the government’s levelling up agenda and asked Johnson to encourage his successor to keep fighting inequality
• Andrew Bowie thanked Johnson for his "commitment to Scotland"
• Crispin Blunt said both he and his constituents were grateful to Johnson for all his work
• Mark Francois praised Johnson for passing the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill, saying the PM kept his word to do so
• And, finally, there was the big goodbye from Sir Edward Leigh who thanked Johnson for the Covid vaccine rollout, getting Brexit done, supporting Ukraine and the levelling-up agenda

Away from the drama of the Commons chamber, the final round of voting among Tory MPs has just begun in the leadership contest to replace Boris Johnson. They're choosing the final two candidates to put to Tory members.

The ballot boxes of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs are open until 15:00, with the final two candidates to be revealed at around 16:00.

Johnson urges tax cuts in parting message to leaderspublished at 13:20 British Summer Time 20 July 2022

13:20 BST 20 July 2022

Ione Wells
Political Correspondent, BBC News

When Johnson gave his advice to the next Conservative leader moments at PMQS earlier, was it a hint at the policies he wants to see? Maybe.

He urged them to “cut taxes” and deregulate where possible.

This has been a key dividing line between the former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and his rivals — with Sunak saying inflation must be brought down first before cutting taxes.

Johnson adds: “If we’d always listened to the Treasury we’d never have built the M25 or Channel Tunnel.”

Another stab at his former chancellor?

Moments ago, Boris Johnson left the House of Commons following his final PMQs as prime minister to a standing ovation from Tory MPs.

Labour did not clap for the departing prime minister, much to the chagrin of several Conservatives, including Johnson loyalist Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who called the opposition party "graceless".

Michael Fabricant, another Johnson loyalist, also called Labour "an ungracious shower".

Meanwhile, some SNP MPs have been criticising the Tories over their standing ovation, with Alan Brown calling them "hypocrites" and Pete Wishart saying it was "unbelievable" to see them "standing there clapping the man they just stabbed in the back".

Thanking the Speaker and the staff, all his friends and colleagues, and Starmer - and punctuating his speech with thumps on the dispatch box - Johnson concludes his final answer of his final PMQs by saying:

"I want to thank everybody here, and Hasta la Vista, Baby!" - a reference to the catchphrase popularised by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2.

For those not into dystopian science fiction films, "hasta la vista" is a Spanish phrase that roughly translates to "see you later", but can also be used to mean simply "goodbye".

He sits down briefly to cheers, then Tory MPs are on their feet and applauding as he leaves the chamber.

Boris Johnson's just wrapped up his last Prime Minister's Questions as leader of the Tory party and the country.

In the final question, Sir Edward Leigh says, on behalf of the House, he'd like to thank Johnson for his near three years of service. He mentions the Covid vaccine rollout, the "17.4 million people who voted for Brexit", the people who live in northern towns "benefitting from levelling up", and the people of Ukraine - saying all those that benefitted want to thank him too.

To rapturous applause and cheers from his benches, the PM responds by "giving some words of advice to his successor".

He tells either Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt or Liz Truss to:

• Stay close to the Americans, stick up for the Ukrainians and stick up for freedom and democracy everywhere
• Cut taxes and deregulate wherever you can to make this the greatest place to live and invest in
• Focus on the road ahead but always remember to check the rear view mirror
• And remember, above all, it's not Twitter that counts

He ends by reminding the Commons of his huge Tory majority and says "mission largely accomplished".

Finally, he thanks the Commons staff, and everybody he's worked with, before saying "hasta la vista, baby", and leaves the chamber to cheers and applause.

The SNP's John Nicolson asks as Boris Johnson "limps off into the history books", can he update the House on his "defenestration honours list"?

Will it be full of "dodgy donors, obsequious courtiers and pinchers by nature"?, Nicholson asks.

The PM says everyone who has served the government loyally and well deserves some recognition, but Nicolson needs to "contain his excitement".

The Speaker declares himself unimpressed with the tone of Nicolson's question.

Surreal spectacle of Johnson talking about niche issuespublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 20 July 2022

12:53 BST 20 July 2022

Ione Wells
Political Correspondent, BBC News

There’s something slightly surreal about a prime minister who is on his way out having to say what he is going to do about niche issues up and down the UK - from issues in the seafood processing industry to the fire hazards of Chinese lanterns and disposable BBQs.

Clearly, these will all be issues that his successor might need to take on. And the current prime minister doesn’t have much to lose in his answers here.

Really, it’s an example of what PMQs is all about — the one chance a week that MPs get to flag issues in their constituency to an audience of all their colleagues, the prime minister, the media and anyone else watching.

A lengthy question now from Claire Hanna, of the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland.

She first accuses the PM of being the "very embodiment of the excess and the vice" that the ministerial code was designed to protect against.

She goes on to say the trust of the Good Friday Agreement between the people and the governments of these islands has been "systematically destroyed" over the last six years.

People across the island of Ireland have looked on in horror at the degradation of the rule of law and emboldening of the far right, she says, before asking whether Johnson has any regrets of damaging "our fragile, shared society".

In a short reply, Johnson says he "completely disagrees with that", adding that the whole objective of the NI Protocol bill that was passed was to support the Good Friday arrangement to support the balance of those arrangements. He adds he was very pleased it advanced into the House of Lords with no amendments.

PMQs a display of Johnson's greatest hitspublished at 12:47 British Summer Time 20 July 2022

12:47 BST 20 July 2022

Ione Wells
Political Correspondent, BBC News

Boris Johnson’s final PMQs is being used as a bit of a chance for him to reel off what he sees as his "greatest hits".

He uses some of his animated speeches directed at the Speaker to cram in various buzzwords like “ambulances”, “Brexit”, “increasing the living wage” - all in the same fast mouthful.

One question from one of his backbenchers references the London Mayor Sadiq Khan, giving Johnson an excuse to also mention his own stint in that job and arguing “what London needs is another Conservative mayor.”

Other Tory backbenchers directly use their questions to thank him for his approach to various issues, from steel to freeports.

What the future holds next for Johnson is unclear — but he’s clearly keen to promote this as his legacy, despite being pushed out by his party’s unhappiness with his leadership.

There’s an uncomfortable backdrop to this for the prime minister, though - as those fighting to replace him have all raised fierce criticisms of some recent government policies in the last few days, each promising to scrap some of them.