Business Diary: October 19

HIS motto is "we're all in this together", and George Osborne appears to be practising what he preaches.

The Chancellor spurned the comforts of first class when he travelled by train to Leeds last week for the Yorkshire Post's Excellence in Business awards.

Instead he and his aides took up their seats in standard class, attracting remarkably little attention for a man about to deliver severe cuts to public spending tomorrow.

He spent the journey – on the East Coast franchise which is still owned by the Government since being handed back by National Express last year – flicking through a copy of the Yorkshire Post.

Whether his journeys continue to be so peaceful after the full extent of tomorrow's cuts are announced remains to be seen.

Taste for publicity

NO one does direct marketing better than Seabrook Crisps.

The Bradford company, winner in the 10m-50m turnover category, took to handing out packets of its crisps to guests as a post-dinner snack.

One of its newest products, a curry-flavoured sharing pack yet to hit the market, received what can only be described as Marmite responses – mixed. "Try us and you will be amazed," insisted the company's ebullient chief executive and chairman Ken Brook-Chrispin. "We should be the market leader."

Shaken, not stirred

DIARY has the utmost respect for Sir Stuart Rose, but has serious misgivings about his assertion that you can avoid a hangover by sticking to Vodka Martinis.

The Marks & Spencer boss was to be seen entertaining a party in the bar following the awards and judging by the number of empty martini glasses on the table they decided to test his theory out properly.

Diary can assure anyone tempted to try to the same hangover avoidance method that it really doesn't work.

First impressions

AS master of ceremonies, it was Jon Culshaw's job to give thanks following the Chancellor of the Exchequer's speech.

Mr Culshaw did so and described it as "a very useful speech for an impressionist to watch". He added: "Thank you for that reason; I'm now two steps ahead of Rory Bremner."

As he departed, Mr Osborne said to Mr Culshaw: "David Cameron and I have a theory that you guys haven't worked out how to do us."

Long after the Chancellor had left for London, Mr Culshaw won the biggest laugh of the evening for his impression of a slightly supercilious, ex-public schoolboy who has found his hands on the levers of power. Named George Osborne.

Mock and role

THE unlikely trio of David Beckham, David Cameron and Nick Clegg made their presence felt through the mimicry of Jon Culshaw.

Mr Culshaw described Cameron and Clegg as the "new Jedward", while he noted that London Mayor Boris Johnson is the only person outside The Beano who says "cripes".

Another former Prime Minister from the 1990s was also subjected to Mr Culshaw's scrutiny: "If John Major had sounded a bit more aggressive, he would have sounded like Michael Caine."

Mr Culshaw, who invited members of the audience to shout out names for celebrities he should try and impersonate, said David Beckham sounded like a "character from The Dick Emery Show".

During his entertaining speech, Mr Culshaw also brought the England manager Fabio Capello to life, claiming he sounded more than a little like the late comedian Tommy Cooper.

Wind of change

It's a question facing every member of the Armed Forces who returns to civilian life.

What kind of career can I carve out next?

Five years ago Alan Cameron, formerly of the Royal Engineers, decided to install wind and solar power on his 36ft river cruiser.

Now, from his base in Leeds, he's taking orders for wind turbines from places as far afield as the Hebridean Isle of Coll.

Since the launch of Government feed-in-tariffs (FITS) in April, installers of green technology have been paid for the energy they produce, which means the wind turbine market has really taken off.

Mr Cameron, who works for wind turbine firm Coemi, said: "Farming wind pays and other businesses are keen to cut costs along with their carbon footprint."

Mr Cameron served as a corporal with the Royal Engineers for nine years. His electrical engineering background came in handy during his service in Germany, Northern Ireland and the UK.

Now his understanding of land mass is helping farmers to find the best place for wind farms.

"It helps to be able to read the lay of the land," he told Diary.