Straw on sharp end of Anderson's tongue

The barrister-turned-comedian-turned-chat-show-host Clive Anderson reached his usual high standard of sarcasm at last weekend's Bar Council annual conference in London.

Responding to remarks by Labour MP Dianne Abbott that she and the now Foreign Secretary Jack Straw had clashed several times over criminal justice policy when the latter was in charge of the Home Office, Mr Anderson quipped: 'We don't have to worry about Jack Straw anymore, as he has been put on the bin-Laden case - and if that doesn't flush him out I don't know what will.' Indeed, Mr Anderson is currently keeping both sides of the legal profession entertained.

He will bring that level of sardonic wit to Birmingham and the Solicitors' Annual Conference on 27 October 2001.