Some things in life never change.

The sky is blue.

The sun rises in the east.

And the national law firms rarely miss an opportunity to have a pop at their rivals.

The latest example comes from Addleshaw Goddard, hailing its success in advising Reading Borough Council on the only housing revenue account housing private finance initiative project - whatever that is - to close in the financial year to 31 March 2004.

'Addleshaw Goddard was appointed in 2000', we are told, 'following a competitive tender with Eversheds'.

Four years on, and they're still harping on about it as if it were England-Germany in 1966.