The day before a Paris court was due to hand down its verdicts in the widely condemned trial of 138 alleged Islamic militants, an international human rights group launched a scathing attack yesterday on France's anti-terrorist laws and procedures, saying they violated European human rights agreements and led to arbitrary, show-trial justice.

I am surprised that no one has spotted the true conspiracy behind the Mandelson affair. It's got nothing to do with Browns and Blairs and spinning and loans: the answer is much simpler. Ask yourself, who took over Mandelson's department ? Stephen Byers. And what was he in previous life? A law lecturer. And who was earmarked - indeed, informally announced - for the job of Paymaster General following Geoffrey Robinson's resignation? None other than the legal affairs minister, Geoff Hoon; yup, he's a former law lecturer. And the new solicitor-general, appointed last summer: he's one too. As is the boss himself, Lord Irvine, the Lord Chancellor. It's quite clearly a plot by the law lecturers of England to take over first the government, and then... who knows where they'll stop? They're intelligent, committed and ruthless. Getting rid of Mandelson and Robinson was just a practice run. Watch carefully next time there's a high-up resignation or sacking and see who gets promoted.