David Cameron's swipe at Boris Johnson in the Commons – verdict

David Cameron gives a Commons statement after every EU summit and normally they follow a predictable pattern; he says that he set out with X number of aims, and then he explains he has achieved all X of them (even if he hasn’t). The most interesting comments normally come in the exchanges with MPs.

But this was different. Cameron gave a combative defence of his deal, but then he devoted the final two minutes or so of his statement to what every MP in the chamber will have recognised as a withering, uncompromising and near-contemptuous attack on Boris Johnson.

Observers not familiar with EU referendum arcana may not have noticed, because Cameron did not refer to Johnson directly and he focused instead on those arguing that an out vote could be followed by a second referendum. This is an idea first championed by Dominic Cummings (the former Michael Gove adviser who is even more unpopular with Cameron than Johnson is right now), but Johnson has flirted with it and in his Telegraph article on Monday, Johnson implied that voting out could force Brussels to think again.

Cameron began his attack on Johnson with an oblique reference to the article, when he said:

I won’t dwell on the irony that some people who want to vote to leave, apparently want to use a leave vote to remain ... Having a second renegotiation followed by a second referendum is not on the ballot paper.

But the highlight of the attack was a joke at Johnson’s expense, which Cameron delivered with good timing :

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I have known a number of couples who have begun divorce proceedings but I do not know of any who have begun divorce proceedings in order to renew their marriage vows.

If antagonising Johnson was the intention, which it almost certainly was, the joke had the advantage of making a very faint reference to the London mayor’s less-than-perfect marital record.

Cameron also said that, because he has announced that he does not plan to stand for re-election, he had no agenda other than what was best for the UK.

I am not standing for re-election. I have no other agenda than what is best for our country.

This was an obvious reference to Johnson’s naked opportunism, and future ambitions to lead the Conservative party. (Johnson’s father, Stanley, made a brave attempt this morning to claim that careerism was not part of Johnson’s thinking, but if you can find a single MP in the Commons who believes that, I’ll buy you a copy of his next book.)

Downing Street has made a deliberate effort not to antagonise the ministers who have come out in favour of leaving the EU, and Cameron has been very conciliatory towards Michael Gove, claiming (not entirely accurately) that he has favoured Brexit for years and years. But Johnson has been mocked, openly and effectively. This is personal, and a bit nasty, and Johnson is unlikely to let it rest.