It is as much a part of this Labour government as the female trouser suit and the TB-GBs: the annual summer “Oh-my-God-is-John-Prescott-in-charge?” moment. The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister without Portfolio at the time, Peter Mandelson, first squabbled over who had been left minding the shop in new Labour’s first summer in office. That spat memorably prompted Mr Prescott, never chary of a bizarre photo opportunity, to compare Mr Mandelson to a crab in a jar. This year, David Blunkett has stepped clumsily into the Mandelson role, claiming that he and Mr Prescott were both in charge in Tony Blair’s absence, an assertion refuted yesterday by No 10.

Mr Prescott is in charge, the Prime Minister’s spokesman insisted. The Deputy Prime Minister has been popping into No 10; he telephones Cabinet ministers; he will chair the Cobra emergency committee. But why the humility? We know that old “Two Jags” has been doing much more than all that — and the world is a much better place for it.

On his watch, seven Russian sailors were rescued from the chilly depths of the Pacific, before Mr Prescott ensured that England won the second Test — that catch would surely have been dropped had Mr Blair been at No 10. Then, he appears to have identified and located all five failed July 21 bomb suspects, and to be hot on the trail of al-Qaeda. Within the next fortnight he may well find Lord Lucan.

And such has been his brightening effect on Britain’s weather that Nasa may perhaps ask Two Jags to help to clear Florida’s skies and land its shuttle. Truly, the sun shines out of the Deputy Prime Minister’s, er, cars.