A bit of a do

£144 burning a hole in your pocket ?  There's probably still time to sign up for tonight's CBI North West black-tie dinner at The Point, Old Trafford Cricket ground. Headline act is BBC DG Mark Thompson, who gets a half-hour spot at 10.30pm (just before someone called Cash Bars).

His warm-up is called "Showcase of Creative Industries".  It's not clear if this a video (the DQF thing ?) or a collection of turns - maybe some onstage live post-production  with a comedy edge. Let's hope they're getting paid.

Sponsors of the event spookily include Steria, who provide financial services to the BBC under a ten year contract running to 2017, costing the Beeb between £15 and £18m a year.  The event is also supported by United Utilities, who have the water monopoly for the North West, Salford University (tax-payer funded) and RBS (government share-holding 84%).