Business Diary: Twinkle-toes Vince will lead

If, as seems likely, Vince Cable accepts the BBC's invitation to appear on a Christmas special of Strictly Come Dancing, he will no doubt wow the public – he has been a keen ballroom dancer for years. The best thing about this story so far, however, was the total bemusement yesterday of the two presenters on the American business channel CNBC who dedicated a good five minutes to discussing Mr Cable's appearance. Though the US has its own version of Strictly – Dancing With The Stars – the US Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke, is not thought to be planning an appearance.

Best behaviour at the office party

Some encouraging economic news from Venturi's Table, the corporate hospitality company: we may all live in terror of the dreaded double dip, but manycompanies are planning to spend a little more on their Christmas parties in 2010. One third more plan to invite their employees' other halves this year. Not that this is a terribly positive development for those people who were hoping for a traditional office party, drunken antics included.

Cheap at three times the price

How the other half live. Did you spot the rather natty red hatchback in the Harrods window display yesterday? It marked the launch of Aston Martin's new Cygnet – a City car that the posh motor company is pitching as a second car for customers who already have one of its flagship models. Prices start at about £30,000, only three times the price of the Toyota iQ, on which it is based. The extra £20,000 is to pay for all the finishing touches that Aston Martin's specialists have lovingly added.

Greenspan under fire once more

What has Alan Greenspan done to so upset Howard Wheeldon? The BGC Partners commentator has taken the former USFederal Reserve chairman to task over the Irish crisis, even though Mr Greenspan appears not to have said a word about the Republic's problems. "Most of what Alan Greenspan says these days is merely an attempt to avoid the central issue of the damage for which he solely, as former chairman of the Fed, bears responsibility and yetresolutely fails to accept any blame," Wheeldon complains.

businessdiary@independent.co.uk