Its been quite a while since we have run a story about reader’s favourite, the kimono-clad, fox-battering lawyer who specialises in hoovering up gullible Remainers’ money to launch legal strategies, with varying degrees of success, in a vain attempt to stop Brexit. Guido stresses the vain aspect…

Jolyon Maugham has taken a break from litigating to put up Uber prices by 20%, to instead get sued by his builders. From reading the documents of the court case it appears he is trying to knock his builders for £490,000. They unsurprisingly have reacted badly to this and are suing Jolyon for the money owed.

“The claimant building company had carried out renovations to the defendant’s home. Under the building contract, completion was scheduled for November 2015, but practical completion was not certified until July 2016 and each party attributed the delay to the other. A dispute arose as to the amount of the final account. The claimant valued the works at £1.59 million, which included claims for loss and expenses caused by the delay and for additional works carried out under the architect’s instructions. The defendant valued the works at £1.1 million which he paid.”

It appears that Jolyon not only thinks he knows better than 17 and a half million voters, he knows more about building than his builders. He tried to wriggle out of going to court over the debt by demanding that they put down security for legal costs – a ruse well used by people who think that they can put off a creditor by pushing up the costs of pursuing the debt. The kind of sharp practice that a slippery lawyer might try. Jolyon did try it on of course…

You have to be a pretty angry builder to take a silk to court over contested bills – the legal argument over the £490,000 unpaid bill will likely result in total costs of approximately £300,000 for the loser. So congratulations to Chivertons of Hampshire in defeating Jolyon’s attempt to force you to put up security for legal costs. Something Jolyon was unwilling to do in his tilt against Uber…