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Had he shown up this morning, he would have doubtless been tickled to hear shadow Welsh Secretary Peter Hain run through his repertoire.

Mocking the Prime Minister's plans to measure the UK's well-being through a so-called "happiness index", Mr Hain recalled that Ken Dodd's recording career had begun with "Happiness" before moving on to "Tears" and ended with "Brokenhearted."

It also included "Promises", "Until It's Time For You To Go" and "Let Me Cry On Your Shoulder" but you can push a comparison too far - and no jokes about Diddy Men please.

This morning's meeting of the Welsh Grand followed weeks of wrangling between Labour and the Conservatives over the committee, the topic for debate and the cast list.

Treasury Minister Justine Greening was given the short straw of defending the spending review to an opposition-dominated committee. She had not finished her statement before Peter Hain was tweeting his critical verdict on it - "specious waffle". (The Neath MP may have a senior railcard but he knows how to get down wi' da kidz when it comes to modern communications).

Not to be outdone, Secretary of State Cheryl Gillan told the committee that everybody has got the YouTube moment of encounter with Jeremy Paxman on their iPod. That and some heavy drum and bass, no doubt, although I may be misjudging her musical tastes.

The debate focused on the spending review, unveiled on October 20. The intervening six weeks allowed all sides to rehearse arguments that have changed little since then.

There was the odd pantomime moment. Cheryl Gillan: "I am not some sort of Viceroy".
Chris Ruane: "Oh yes you are".

Former Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy told government whip Brooks Newmark: "Go back to where you've come from". (Braintree in Essex, in case you were wondering).

Those of us with Welsh Grand "buzzword bingo" cards will have ticked off "Barnett consequentials", "savage cuts" and "ring-fencing". Peter Hain referrred at one point to "bouncebackability" a phrase coined by the football manager Iain Dowie.

The MPs are back at 2.30pm for another two-hour session, making four hours of debate in all. That's still shorter than one of Ken Dodd's celebrated live performances although a couple of hours in the Welsh Grand can feel rather longer. Bring your own tickling stick.

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