Boogying on down during the Commonwealth Law Conference was not confined to the evening parties. The Golden Jubilee event ended last Thursday afternoon with the Kenyan delegation leading the room in a traditional Kenyan dance of welcome.


The east African country is to host the next Commonwealth Law Conference in 2007, so after the Commonwealth flag was handed from the Lord Mayor of Westminster, councillor Tim Joiner, to a member of the Law Society of Kenya, male harmony group Kayamba Afrika brought the conference to its feet. With their a cappella singing, accompanied by images of big game safaris and Masai warriors, they encouraged delegates to gather in their country in two years' time.



The dance saw such legal luminaries as Guy Mansfield, the chairman of the Bar Council, sashaying conga-style round the chamber. Even the bigwigs on the platform could not resist a little rhythmic foot tapping and arm waving. The whole affair brought back unhappy memories of Labour party chiefs such as Neil Kinnock and Peter Mandelson dancing to 'Things can only get better' after the landslide election victory of 1997. Still, at least we all have to years to get the hang of it.