Business Diary: Watson will be among friends

This could be fun. The Local Authority Pension Fund Forum says Tom Watson will speak at its conference later this month. The Labour MP and scourge of the phonehackers will find many kindred souls at the forum, which takes the lead on ethical and social investment, as well as among fellow speakers. They include Deborah Hargreaves, the chair of the High Pay Commission. How Tullet Prebon's Terry Smith will go down is another matter. He's a little more – how shall we put it? – free market.

Sir Mervyn knightedin private

Sir Mervyn King finally made it to Buckingham Palace yesterday to pick up the knighthood he was granted months back – ironically on a day when he also had to say sorry yet again for missing his inflation target. Maybe that was why the Bank of England Governor had told the Palace he did not wish there to be publicity on the day (not that this stopped the snappers on duty).

Vince feels no need for speed

Sir Mervyn isn't the only one dodging a potentially embarrassing photo. Business Minister Vince Cable, toured a Ferrari factory yesterday, as he drummed up support for apprenticeship schemes. Did the Department for Business or Ferrari itself issue a single shot of him with a high-performance sports car? Nope. A fear of "slow lane" headlines, maybe, or just a Liberal Democrat worried by the cautionary tale of Chris Huhne and speeding allegations?

Take it easy on the mince pies

A warning from Alison Wetton, the boss of All About Weight, a company specialising in diet plans. Not entirely disinterestedly, Wetton says many desk-bound workers pile on the pounds over winter, when the cold weather puts people off exercising. More than half of all office workers put on weight over the winter, she claims, with a quarter of them piling on more than 10lbs.