Mr Benn the comedian
By Tony Grew - 11th November 2010
Hilary Benn is often seen as a bit grey, a competent minister in the mould of Alastair Darling.
In government, he seemed to have the knack of making his department disappear from the lobby's radar.
As shadow leader of the Commons, he has had a chance to show his lighter side.
Today he had a jolly time baiting Sir George Young over the Lib Dems and tuition fees and the PM's personal photographer.
Benn was a good choice for the shadow leader's job.
His mockery of Nick Clegg's pledge on fees was perfectly pitched.
"Before the election the Lib Dems made everything of their pledge to vote against the lifting of the cap on tuition fees, but after the election they could not dump it fast enough," he said.
"This morning, we hear that the deputy prime minister has said that he 'should have been more careful' about signing the pledge.
"Anyone hearing that would think that some dodgy bloke had come up to him in the street and badgered him into signing it, whereas in fact the deputy prime minister invented the pledge, was photographed holding the pledge, and even produced a video of himself making the pledge.
"He knew exactly what he was doing."
We all miss the glory days of business questions when Harriet Harman formed a vaudeville double act with Alan Duncan.
But in their own way, Sir George and Hilary are an interesting pairing.
And I noticed a few Tory MPs chuckling at some of Benn's inoffensive mockery of Clegg.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.