IT was a historic day, an unusual day. It featured a pilot’s helmet, and that wasn’t the weirdest bit: the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition did not slag each other off. Astonishing.

It took a war for peace to break out. We speak of Ukraine, on a day when that country’s heroic president addressed members of both Houses of Parliament.

Beforehand, at Prime Minister’s Questions, so used are we to formulaic discord that, when Labour leader Keir Starmer said it was vital to stand together in support of Ukraine, we half-expected PM Rishi Sunak to reply: “No, it isn’t.”

But this was a day on which the two sworn political enemies spent the session nodding together in agreement. Rishi said: “We will continue to stand by them, united as one Parliament and one United Kingdom.” Who could disagree?

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Not Sir Keir, who used all his six questions to make statements about Ukraine. It was not until the last one that I relinquished the suspicion that he was trying to lure Mr Sunak into a trap with his lawyerly cunning.

It’s a tactic he’s used many times before: the innocent introductory remarks inviting the PM to sniff the roses before booting him up the jacksie as he bent over.

The Herald: Stephen FlynnStephen Flynn (Image: free)

But, on this occasion, the only note of discord came when Mr Starmer, observing that Britain was at its best standing up to tyrannical aggressors, added: “That's why the Labour Party helped found Nato and why our commitment to Nato is as unshakable today as it was back then.”

The statement was greeted with loud murmurs, as members opposite struggled to contain themselves. The Labour leader must have anticipated this, and was clearly using the occasion to distance himself from his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, whose disdain for Nato had often been used by the Tories against Labour.

But, on this occasion, for once, Rishi resisted the temptation to resurrect the ghost of Corbyn. More gentlemanly agreement with Mr Starmer followed.

This new North Atlantic alliance presented a problem for SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn. Briefly, he welcomed “the exchange between the Leader of the Opposition and the Pryme (as he pronounces it) Minister in respect of Ukraine”, before sticking to his script concerning a recent non mea culpa written for a London newspaper by another ghost, this time Rishi’s predecessor, Liz Truss.

Ms Truss did not regret her time in office, noted Mr F. “Does the Prime Minister regret her time in office?”

This brought forth laughter, which was only ramped up when a smiling Mr Sunak said he was “grateful to all his predecessors for their contribution to public life”.

Half an hour later, Stephen was standing beside Rishi and Sir Keir at Westminster Hall, heart of the British state. The place was packed, the sight impressive as grey light flooded in through a massive stained glass window remembering those lost in two world wars.

Dressed in his trademark combat fatigues, President Volodymyr Zelensky was greeted with a loud, prolonged ovation followed by a thunderous, anticipatory silence.

It was broken by the homely tones of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle echoing improbably beneath the hammer-beam roof’s oak rafters.

After recalling his first meeting with President Zelensky over “English afternoon tea” and cakes, Sir Lindsay spoke eloquently and passionately – as did, a little later, Lord John McFall, Speaker of the House of Lords – on the horrors of war and the admirable endurance of the Ukrainian people.

In reply, President Zelenksky, in his deep, earthy voice, sincerely thanked “all the people of England and Scotland, of Wales and Northern Ireland”.

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In particular, he paid tribute to former PM Boris Johnson directly for his early, decisive support. In the audience, the amiable statesman looking moved and humble, his static-infused barnet standing on end as if recently frightened by a ghost, perhaps that of Mr Corbyn, or even Ms Truss. The President also said, “Thank you, Rishi,” for all the tanks.

He was looking forward to meeting HM the K later, noting: “In Britain, the King is an air force pilot and, in Ukraine, every air force pilot is a king.”

On which note, he presented to Britain, via Sir Lindsay, a Ukrainian pilot’s helmet inked with the words: “We have freedom. Give us the wings to protect it.”

The President’s own words in conclusion were “Slava Ukraini” – “Glory to Ukraine!” – tempting even your correspondent to bray, in a most un-Scottish way, “Hear-Hear!”

All in all, an odd day. And all the more welcome for that.