his retorts were snappy and memorable, and his challenge for the government to change its policy has got him the headlines he wanted. He does, however, still have to learn how to deal with the barbs David Cameron throws at him every week about ‘Labour’s mess’: is it beyond the leadership team to find a pithy putdown?

While Ed Miliband was in finer form than previously, David Cameron was less bombastic than is his typical style: the well-rehearsed comebacks to Ed Miliband were somewhat half-hearted this week, and his bullying tone was slightly toned down. Perhaps this is because, for the first time since becoming prime minister, he has had a genuinely bad week: Andy Coulson’s departure and the terrible GDP figures mean that the government’s honeymoon is over, and attempts to blame Labour for ongoing problems are sounding hollower by the day.

Best backbencher
Straight-talking Gateshead Labour MP Ian Mearns gave his question about cuts a nice preamble, setting out the government’s current woes – concluding with ‘…and snow is predicted for the end of the week’. A beautifully delivered jab at what I hope will become an infamously poor government excuse for failure – and all the better because it wasn’t overdone.

Best question, answer, comment or joke
Ed Miliband prevented David Cameron from rewriting history by reminding him, to cheers from the Labour benches, that ‘when we left government the economy was growing!’ – very much the right line at the right time.