Global capitalism is in turmoil, the dole queues are lengthening inexorably and you’ve more chance of finding Shergar than a buyer for your house. But no matter. Such trifles have been turfed off the front pages by an issue of far greater moment – what to do about messrs Ross and Brand, tormentors of Andrew Sachs and his Gothic granddaughter Georgina Baillie (who’s a dead ringer for Fenella Fielding in Carry On Screaming, BTW).

What’s this got to with lawyers, we hear you cry? Well not much, though one or two will probably get involved in due course.

What caught our eye was that Jack Straw took time out of his apparently relaxed schedule to pen a lengthy essay on the subject for local paper the Lancashire Telegraph. The piece subsequently appeared in the Guardian.

Amid a volley of righteous outrage, Straw declares that he’d rather have a small scotch for a nightcap than spend 15 minutes in the televisual company of ‘Wossy’.

We can safely say that he’s not alone. But hasn’t the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Secretary of State for Justice got better things to do? That’s all we’re saying. For a start, Mr Straw could fill a small hole in his diary by granting the Gazette an interview, something he has so far appeared reluctant to do.

Too busy, apparently.