Business Diary: When Radley calls, Mandy answers

Who is the most influential man in British manufacturing? Steve Radley, director of policy at the manufacturing organisation EEF, must be in with a shout for the title. He launched a high-profile campaign yesterday morning for an extension of the car scrappage scheme – within hours, Lord Mandelson had granted his wish.

Haven't I heard this somewhere before?

Still, it looks as if Labour is up to its old tricks with this announcement on scrappage – and it has even got the civil servants at the Department for Business onside too. So pleased was Lord Mandelson's department at having some good news on the car industry to unveil, it sent out the same press release via email three times yesterday afternoon.

Providing energy in the biggest market of all

China's sporting greats must be licking their lips with anticipation. Lucozade, the energy drink, is to be launched in the country, its makers, GlaxoSmithKline, said yesterday. The stuff tastes great, obviously, but China's stars may be more interested in the advertising campaign planned for their country – in the West, GSK has always paid sportsmen big bucks to endorse the fizzy orange drink. Step forward China's equivalent of John Barnes.

Building a success story, brick by brick

Congratulations to Britain's best tourist attraction (according to one recent awards scheme at least). Legoland, in Berkshire, has just welcomed its 20 millionth visitor. The Windsor-based theme park counts the Queen as one of its fans and reckons one in three Britons have now been to see its creations.

Shock news: recession makes us miserable

And the award for statement of the bleedin' obvious of the week goes to... the folk behind the CSV Make a Difference Day, a charitable concern which is hoping to persuade more people to take up volunteering. "Up to 88 per cent of adults are feeling less happy than when the recession started," according to the charity's less-than-remarkable research. You don't say.

Number of the day: 2bn

The milestone passed by Apple's iTunes Apps store yesterday, with downloads passing two billion since its launch