Oh the thrill of it all. When Gordon Brown said he wanted a government of all the talents, no one had thought of the Liberal Democrats, for obvious reasons.

This made the news that Mr Brown had offered a job to Lord Ashdown almost unbearably delicious. Indeed, no one has been this excited about the Lib-Dems since Lembit Opik started dating a Cheeky Girl.

There were hardly any Lib-Dems in the Chamber for Environment Questions and only one of any talent (Vince Cable). Where were they? Perhaps sitting by their phones, awaiting a call from the Great Gordo. Chris Huhne, the madly ambitious environment spokesman, had brought his phone with him and switched it on. “Brrring, brrrring,” it rang in an old-fashioned way. At first Mr Huhne didn’t notice, for he was daydreaming about his talent which he knows to be very great. Like so many other MPs, he may have been wondering what Gordo saw in Paddy Pantsdown anyway.

“Brrrring, brrring.” It was the only noise in the Chamber that mattered.

“Answer it! It’s Gordon Brown!” cried a Tory.

Everyone burst out laughing and Mr Huhne, tingling with the knowledge that so many others recognised the inevitability of such a call, made a great show of silencing his phone.

Later he stood up to ask a question about nuclear power. Sir Patrick Cormack, a Tory grandee of almost unparalleled talent, shouted at the Labour front bench. “Answer with respect. He may be your boss next week.”

I thought Chris Huhne was going to die of happiness. David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, laughed. (He was late yesterday, having been detained by the Tony Blair’s emotional last Cabinet meeting. It had, he said, taken time to “cross the floods of tears that are now trailing down Downing Street”.)

Later, during Business Questions, Teresa May of the Tories teased Jack Straw.

“The Labour benches seem to be so devoid of talent that the Chancellor is offering Cabinet positions like knocked-off watches!”

Mr Straw noted the tinge of envy in Ms May’s voice and grinned broadly. Indeed Mr Straw’s grin was as wide as the River Congo yesterday. Could it be that he’s already had the all important conversation with the Great Gordo? I think so. Mr Straw then invited Ms May (wearing zebra shoes yesterday, by the way) to send him her CV. He would pass it on and put in a word.

Most Labour MPs seem aghast at it all. Gordon Prentice, the habitual maverick, reminded Mr Straw that he had once referred to the Lib-Dems as the scavengers of British politics.

“I remember making that speech,” said Mr Straw, pausing, “in 1984.”

“You were too kind!” cried a Tory (they are SO jealous).

“I think it remains a reasonable accurate description,” noted Mr Straw. “It’s fair to say it’s one of the more charitable things I said about the Liberal Democrats.

“But we are a very broad church in the Labour Party. We always are open either to sinners or scavengers who repent.”David Heath, the Lib-Dem spokesman, lumbered to his feet. “Repent! Repent!” cried the Tories.

Mr Heath is a good performer who is very hairy (indeed, I am told that Big Foot is his inspiration). He is a realist and knows he’s not going to get a call. He seems to find the whole thing a hoot.

“It’s hardly our fault if the Chancellor of the Exchequer makes Cabinet formations a sort of form of Britain’s Got Talent!” he chortled.

This seemed a rash statement. Britain may have talent but the Lib-Dems, don’t forget, have Ming.

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