Obiter approached the APIL president's lunch with the trepidation of Back to the Future's Doc Brown fearing Marty McFly would meet his future self. Surely the universe would implode if the invited guests - including APIL and its nemeses, FOIL and the ABI - met in person? And with Lord Justice Jackson - who presumably represents Biff in this somewhat laboured analogy - also sat at the table, the ingredients were there for confrontation.

So how disappointing that daggers were not even brought to the party, never mind drawn. All sides of the claims debate were unnervingly convivial in the splendid surroundings of London’s Ironmongers’ Hall (those claimant lawyers are clearly feeling the pinch already).

Does this indicate a new-found spirit of conviviality? Obiter doesn’t need a time-travelling DeLorean to predict not, but isn’t it lovely to see everyone get along?