David Cameron used his last appearance in parliament as Prime Minister to taunt Jeremy Corbyn.
A demob-happy David Cameron used his last appearance in parliament as Prime Minister to taunt embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, likening him to the hapless Black Knight comedy figure in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" who was unable to see when he was beaten.
To laughs and roars of approval from government benches, a beaming Cameron launched one last jibe at the leader of the opposition during a raucous valedictory session of the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session.
In the film, the stubborn knight suffers one major wound after another as he fights King Arthur to stop him crossing a small stream, until both his arms have been chopped off.
"It's just a flesh wound," insists the knight, as Arthur goes on to chop off his legs as well. "Alright, we'll call it a draw," the limbless knight finally concedes.
Corbyn has been doggedly refusing to step down in the face of mounting criticism since last month's referendum decision to leave the European Union.
Labour lawmakers, dismayed at what they saw as his lacklustre performance during the referendum campaign have passed a vote of no confidence in him and two of them have declared they will challenge him for the party leadership. Corbyn insists he has the backing of ordinary party members.
"I'm beginning to admire his tenacity," Cameron said.
"He is reminding me of the black knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail. He's been kicked so many times but he says 'keep going it's only a flesh wound.' I admire that."
Corbyn took the joke in good heart and Labour lawmakers joined in a long round of applause as Cameron finally left the chamber after six years as Prime Minister.
© Thomson Reuters 2016