Keeping to deadlines is not always easy, as The Diary knows only too well. Likewise, the consultation-crazed Bar Council has been having more trouble with its timetables of late than First Great Western.

On 30 August, the punctually-challenged body revealed on its website that the Denning Conference – whatever that is – has been postponed until next year. The next announcement on the website proudly reveals that the national roll-out of the Court Service IT system has been delayed by only a week, due to a “glitch”. The next delay – the postponement of the New Fee Contract and the Withdrawal of Credit Scheme by a whole year – merited an entire blog entry by Council chairman Geoffrey Vos QC.