Learned friends

BBC lawyers are still ruminating on a letter from solicitors Kingsley Napley on behalf of Sir Cliff Richard, inviting them to avoid a court case by admitting they caused the singer "unnecessary damage" which was entirely "forseeable and unjustified".

So far, the BBC side have been clinging to remarks by Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, that their news teams "acted perfectly properly in respect of this matter", working with South Yorkshire police to co-ordinate helicopter filming of a raid on the singer's Sunningdale apartment. Sticking to that line will mean a civil case should be added to the Corporation's risk register.

Kingsley Napley, who helped Rebekah Brooks secure acquittal on phone-hacking charges, are the third firm of solicitors used by Sir Cliff.  He started with Ian Burton, of BCL Burton Copeland, then, during the investigation was advised by Gideon Benaim of Simkins. Gideon was previously at Schillings, where clients included Lance Armstrong, Ryan Giggs, Roman Polanksi and Naomi Campbell.