I should like to pay tribute to David Cameron. Since he became leader of the Conservative Party, and particularly as Prime Minister, he has demonstrated great courage. He has tackled the deficit, increased resources for the NHS, improved our economy and has given the British people a say on our membership of the EU.
I'm sorry that he is resigning as Prime Minister, but I understand his reasons. He has campaigned passionately, and very strongly, in favour of our staying in the EU, and I can see that it would therefore have been very difficult for him to then negotiate our exit from the EU.
I am, of course, pleased that the British people have decided that we should leave the EU, and that my own constituency supported this view. It is now for us to negotiate new relationships with the EU, and indeed with countries across the world. In doing so, we must ensure that the voices of all our citizens, including those who voted to remain, in all corners of our Kingdom, are heard loud and clear.
These are exciting times for our country. We are the fifth largest economy in the world, sit at the table of international committees and organisations, have the second largest defence spending in NATO, have a independent judiciary, are world leaders in technology and finance and have a mature Parliamentary democracy so we are quite capable of governing ourselves. However, with power comes responsibility and it will be for all of us in Parliament to deliver progress and security for all our people.