What’s pink, can have an ‘adverse effect on activity and attention’ and has the Council of Europe running all the way through it? No, it’s not justice secretary Kenneth Clarke. It’s a stick of Brighton rock, compliments of the Ministry of Justice. The MoJ ordered 500 customised sticks of rock at 76p each to give out to justice ministers and other luminaries from 47 European states.

Each stick, in the time-honoured way of this seaside sweetmeat, has lettering all the way through - in this instance, ‘Council of Europe’. The occasion was last week’s Brighton Declaration conference, when delegates voted to adopt the UK’s proposed model for reforming the European Court of Human Rights. Rock was probably more appropriate than humbugs, but still Obiter was left wondering what other host countries might give delegates. Suggestions welcomed for Slovenia, Azerbaijan, Montenegro - or anywhere else.