Impressionist Jon Culshaw was in the House of Commons to watch Westminster’s weekly punch and judy show this week.

The Dead Ringers star was presumably picking up some new political material for his comedy sketches.

But he appeared to be somewhat puzzled when Alex Burghart took to the despatch during deputy Prime Minister’s Questions.

Who, I hear you ask. Let me explain.

Keir Starmer was unable to attend the weekly showdown because he was jetting back from the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

That meant his deputy, Angela Rayner, took his place.

But Tory leader Kemi Badenoch doesn’t have a deputy and is understood to want to rotate the role when it comes to DPMQs.

Step forward Mr Burghart.

The MP for Brentwood and Ongar is not used to the limelight having been first elected in 2017.

His most notable achievements, until now, were being made shadow Northern Ireland Secretary and shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by Ms Badenoch earlier this month.

And when his big moment came he seized it with both hands.

Doing a good impression - Culshaw would have been impressed - of a young David Cameron, the bespectacled Burghart showed all of the swashbuckling swagger of the former Conservative boss.

He accused the government of eyeing up a further tax raid on farmers under its economic plan of “Starmerism”.

The usually-mild mannered Burghart also blasted Labour for “stoking” inflation by dishing out massive pay rises for the unions and delivering a bruising budget that will also drive up costs.

For her part, Ms Rayner did a very good impression of an illusionist as she repeatedly claimed the government wanted to help farmers, small businesses and pensioners.

The leaders will be back next week but Burghart will certainly be pleased with how his audition for stand-in went.