He added: "May I apologise for making such a pettifogging legal point, " prompting the chamber to erupt in laughter.

BBC: Peer's plea for Magna Carta Day

Republicans have always taken such gestures seriously, and they have been as meticulous as any pettifogging lawyer in their own use of language.

ECONOMIST: Sinn Fein comes on board

Sprawling sores like the meltdown in Somalia or the conflict in Rwanda were to be scrupulously avoided, and Bosnia tiptoed round for months with pettifogging excuses.

ECONOMIST: Warren Christopher