Bore da possums!

Paul Murphy is one of the most self-effacing politicians you could hope to meet.

But there's a price to be paid for a low profile in modern politics.

You have to endure constant speculation that your job is about to be reshuffled out of existence.

And - possibly worse - you are mistaken for the creator of Dame Edna Everage.

The Sunday Telegraph has been asking the people of Manchester whether they can identify members of Gordon Brown's cabinet.

Mr Murphy was one of seven Cabinet Ministers recognised by none of the voters questioned.

According to the Telegraph: "The nearest anyone came to identifying Mr Murphy was when Charlie Colwell, 49, a bank worker, suggested: "He has something of the Barry Humphries about him."