When Harriet Harman and William Hague once before faced off over the dispatch box, the Labour minister floored him. Then, in 2008, when Hague teased her about wearing a flak jacket for a walkabout of her own Peckham constituency, she was brutal. “I’m not going to take style tips,” she told the House, “from the man in the baseball cap.” Hague, who has once been spotted in said headwear in an apparent attempt to ingratiate himself to youth, needed a flak jacket of his own just to survive the follow 15 minutes of questions.

The duo were back together today while the Prime Minister attends the G20 Summit (it is a charming Parliamentary tradition that when the PM is away the Leader of the Opposition steps aside too). They made a great double act once, and they did again. But this time Hague edged it.

There was no lyrical brilliance on show – Harman’s marquee line about the Prime Minister’s changing his priorities from N-H-S to L-O-L fell awkwardly when Hague chuckled that she had spent a long time rehearsing it.

But Hague was a breath of fresh air. He was pleasant, the mood was more genial and – for once in PMQs and probably because of the more grown-up tone – there was probably more light than heat, as we learned about a fabulous GP magazine scoop indicating that 90% of primary care trusts are now rationing care due to financial restrictions.

On a dreadful wicket, Hague batted well, reminding Harman that the NHS – faced with limited supply and insatiable demand – rations care to some extent under every shade of government.

Harman may have lost today, but she deserves credit too – her clear and well-expressed arguments meant the exchange made a pleasing change from the increasingly unedifying battles between Miliband and Cameron. Should Hague take PMQs every week? That would make him leader. Well, if the cap fits…