Conspiracy theorists may want to take a seat for this one.

The Association of British Insurers hosts its annual motor conference next month, with some eye-catching people on the agenda. Chair of the event is Susanna Reid, co-presenter of BBC Breakfast. No doubt she will recuse herself next time the show runs a piece on the high cost of car insurance (usual flavour: it’s the lawyers’ fault). And making an all-too-common public appearance is Jack Straw (pictured), who pops up in the afternoon to speak about risk-based pricing.

Straw, who has made his views fairly clear on the car insurance racket (usual flavour: it’s the lawyers’ fault), surely can’t be in need of the cash.

Parliamentary records show he has pocketed almost £45,000 for speaking engagements in the last year alone, in addition to £92,250 received in advance for the manuscripts of a book. Obiter will peruse the register of members’ interests with, ahem, interest, to see how much the ABI is boosting his income.

Straw isn’t the only MP on the agenda. ABI delegates will hear from transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin; chair of the parliamentary group on insurance Jonathan Evans; and Louise Ellman, chair of the transport select committee.

Of course there’s nothing improper in all this – but the legal profession needs to know what it is up against.