Gordon Brown spoke for over an hour on Monday; his Cabinet colleagues, even the most senior, are supposedly confined to seven minutes. “He doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus,” as Cassius put it, “and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about .”

Two petty men had their brief shot at fame on Tuesday: the two least petty, perhaps; men who might be considered potential successors when that becomes an issue worthy of discussion. (This could happen surprisingly soon after an election, because that’s how this business goes – which may be one good reason for Mr Brown to put it off.)