TOWARDS the end of last night’s “debate” on Question Time, Simon Hughes was asked about some less-than-complimentary things he had said about his two opponents.

His eyebrows, easily the most acrobatic thing about him, shot up. “I’m not sure that I said those things.” David Dimbleby drily noted they were in his manifesto. “I don’t think so!” said Simon. Dimbleby noted they were on his website. Simon shook his head. He did not believe that he could ever have said anything so vile.

It was a weird moment. Mr Hughes was being asked about saying that Chris Huhne was not very well known and that Sir Ming Campbell was cautious.

Now Mr Hughes definitely said those things, and not long ago. Perhaps he had just forgotten. I found it worrying. Can his denial really be that strong? The answer, as always with the Lib Dems, is that it can.

Sir Ming Campbell then demanded to respond to the awful slur about him. This was a bit difficult, for Sir Ming is a cautious man and so he did not, of course, throw caution to the wind. “Who has the safest pair of hands in Britain?” he demanded of the audience, who greeted this question in silence. “Freddie Flintoff!” cried Ming. More baffled silence.

What did it mean? No one knew, but Chris Huhne is not a man to hang around and let a chance go by. Simon was right; of course he was not well known nationally. In fact, until two seconds ago, everyone just called him “Who?” for short. But this does not bother Mr Who for now he was becoming Mr Who Dares Wins.

Mr Huhne shrugged, and announced that he had to expect a bit of “knocking copy” for he was the front-runner. Front-runner? You could see David Dimbleby’s ears stand on end.

Chris Huhne then did this shuffling-type behaviour as if he was too embarrassed to tell anyone. Finally he blurted it out: “I’m apparently the front-runner.” Now Ming could not control himself. “Don’t you admire Chris Huhne’s natural modesty?” he asked peevishly.

So who won? Well, it is more a question of who lost. Sir Ming was more animated than usual (not saying much) but he kept boxing himself into corners. Simon Hughes said a great deal but often he did not make much sense. The only one who didn’t lose, then, was Mr Who. That’s not the same as winning but it may have to do for the Lib Dems.

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