Justice questions in the Commons last week was the usual exercise in one-upmanship and grandstanding from both sides of the House.

But among the insults was a little nugget that suggests lord chancellor Chris Grayling does listen to at least one lawyer.

Grayling was asked by his shadow Sadiq Khan why those in the justice system ‘think so little of him’.

The justice secretary’s response was suitably barbed and rather intriguing: ‘The reality is that a leading figure in the justice world said to me last week, “Do you know, I may not agree with your policies, but at least you’ve got some; the other party hasn’t got any”.’

Topics