Security was even tighter than usual around parliament as MPs geared up for questions to the prime minister.
The reason for the high profile policing was a visit by Brazilian President Lula, who is being hosted in the capital by the Queen.
One wonders what the old socialist revolutionary makes of Her Britannic Majesty, or indeed Acpo's decision today to defend their shoot-to-kill policy despite the death of Brazilian Charles de Menezes.
Lula did not find time in his schedule to witness the glory that is PMQs - and for most of the proceedings he wasn't missing much.
After the previous months of scandal, leadership contests and rebellions everyone seemed a little exhausted and in an anti-climatic mood.
Still the Lib Dems looked chipper with most of their new frontbench team in place. Their number included the youthful Sarah Teather who now has the high profile education brief.
Charles Kennedy was also present and looked very comfortable on the backbenches, probably relieved that a duty he always made look like a horrible ordeal was no longer his.
On the Tory benches the Conservatives celebrated 'international women's day' by donuting their leader with a brace of Theresas (May and Villiers) and Caroline Spellman.
Cabinet minister responsible for women Tessa Jowell was sitting only one place from the PM in a sign she continues to enjoy the support of her cabinet colleagues.
As well as the Jowell debacle the government has been trying to minimise the damage being done from the apparent resignation of NHS chief executive Sir Nigel Crisp, who leaves behind a major problem with health service deficits.
David Cameron said, despite government denials, that the civil servant had been sacked.
Cameron said Sir Nigel wanted to leave of his own accord in a year when things were "on the up" - something Blair might empathise with, the Tory leader joked.
It was a decent line of attack and plays well with the Conservatives long-running tactic of accepting that there has been huge investment in the NHS whilst insisting it has not been properly managed and that waste is rife.
Cameron also questioned whether ministers, unlike civil servants, were taking responsibility.
In what seemed a sly dig at Jowell as well as health secretary Patricia Hewitt, he asked: "When will ministers take responsibility rather than blaming others?"
As well as linking a series of bad news stories for the government, Cameron also managed to reinforce his attempt to rebrand the Tories as the defenders of the NHS.
His second set of questions, on African drought, continued this rebranding exercise.
New Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell's full PMQs debut focused on the environment, but again he failed to really make an impact. He may not be as bad as his predecessor in this arena but it is not his natural environment.
After Cameron's questions it also demonstrated how squeezed the middle ground is going to get.
Just as the hacks, and particularly the sketch writers, were shifting uneasily on their benches, wondering what they could get out of all this lacklustre worthiness the legendary Sir Peter Tapsell was called.
Sir Peter's interventions are always greeted by loud cheers from all sides of the house - and not all of them ironic.
Tapsell says that the prime minister has now "used up all mortal excuses for his folly in Iraq and is relying on divine guidance - a factor which, oddly, was omitted from the dodgy dossier. Will he tell us which archangel is now beckoning him towards southern Afghanistan?"
It was vintage Tapsell and Blair was reduced to looking heavenward, arms aloft and asking the good lord: "So... what's the answer?"
It was followed by one of the worst examples of nimbyism I have ever heard.
Tory MP James Brokenshire complained that part of his Hornchurch constituency had been earmarked to deal with rubble created by a major terrorist attack on London and that it was inhibiting development of the Thames Gateway.
It was heartening to hear that Blitz-like solidarity is alive and well in Essex.
The Verdict
Cameron - 7/10 - Wisely chose the government's NHS problems and continued his party's rebranding.
Blair - 6/10 - Health service problems remove what is normally his trump card.
Sir Menzies - 5/10 - Less than inspiring but no mistakes.
