The Diary’s suggestion that Norton Rose should seek revenge for recent finance partner losses to Allen & Overy (A&O) by encouraging people to shower Ken Livingstone with petitions opposing the development of A&O’s swanky new HQ in Spitalfields have hit a major snag.

It appears that Norton Rose’s planning team has
in fact been instructed by the site’s developers, the Spitalfields Development Group, to ensure
that A&O obtains planning permission for the building.