Leading Article: A snag at the Reichstag

THIS BUSINESS with Lord Foster, the renovated Reichstag and the 45 alleged building deficiencies is familiar. The project may be costing pounds 200m but a conversion is still a conversion, even if it is, admittedly, a lot of readies to come up with on a Friday evening.

To be honest - and we've got quite a bit of experience in this field - it's hard to see why his Lordship is copping any blame at all really. What you have here - dodgy soundproofing, vibrating podiums, defective panelling and so forth - is clearly a case of what is known in the trade as "snagging", that is, the list of little bits that the builders keep promising to fix but never quite manage, somehow. Further investigation brings that shake of the head and sharp intake of breath through pursed lips that we know so well: more than 30 contractors on the site (none of then British by the way). You should see the trouble we've had, and that was only with Tommy, Jason, Neil, Willy, Gerry the plumber and Ed the electrician.

But there's no need for all this awkward talk about going to law and stopping payment and work, that sort of thing. Just sit down there together around the table with a pencil and the back of that envelope while we go off and make everyone a nice, strong cup of tea. White, four sugars please!