The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is concerned that the new Bribery Act, which takes effect next April, will classify corporate hospitality as bribery, rather than as “legitimate promotional activity”.

There is also concern that the Act will disadvantage British firms exporting to countries where corruption is a way of life.

If corporate hospitality is deemed bribery by the government then many of our MPs, and some senior figures in HMRC will be having their collars felt. A decision on Air Miles, the means by which airlines bribe customers to pay much more for flights made on behalf of their employers, will also need to be made. Since Britain’s most senior anti-terror police officer, John Yates, coughed to using his airline bribes, funded by the taxpayer, to buy flights for his family it is possible that some of our top plods will be feeling each other’s collars on this one…