Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken wall at 10 Downing Street; one from London, another from Liverpool and a third from Ipswich.

They go with a government official to examine the wall.

The London contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil.

'Well', he says, 'I figure the job will run about £900: £400 for materials, £400 for my crew and £100 profit for me.'

The Liverpool contractor also does some measuring and figuring, and then says, 'I can do this job for £700: £300 for materials, £300 for my crew and £100 profit for me.'

The Ipswich contractor doesn't measure or do any figures but leans over to the Government official and whispers, "£2,700."

The official, incredulous, says, 'You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?'

The Ipswich contractor whispers back, '£1000 for me, £1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Liverpool to fix the wall.'

'Done!' replies the government official.

And that my friends, ...... is how it all works.

Brilliant. Not just applicable to building of course.