The New Labour modernisation project has been going off the rails recently.

Which makes it a perfect time for the profession's growing band of legal Labour luvvies to stage a morale boosting, fund raising knees-up.

Next month 200 lawyers will pile into London's trendy Bank restaurant for a dinner hosted by Cherie Booth QC and Lord Irvine of Lairg.

In true New Labour fashion, a law firm is sponsoring the event. Its identity? None other than those northern bruisers Dibb Lupton Alsop.