there is invariably a third transmission anyway after you are given a direct eg Numpo then Bedek...
and thereby obfuscate the cunning tactics of Nigel.
That might be true but just to be clear this is not a tactic or non-standard procedure that the Nigels at BA made up.
The inclusion of the flight planned STAR in the initial call to London was
requested by ATC for
all traffic inbound to the LTMA a couple of years back, AFAIR promulgated by NOTAM.
Any of our ATC colleagues at London able to provide current chapter and verse on this?