More clout needed for Sir Humphrey

In a leader column subtitled 'More skills for UK civil servants and the right to say no', the FT rebuts the myth about the demise of the UK's Civil Service, citing its success in dealing with tough Treasury targets. While recognising its world-beating status, the leader does however mention concerns raised by the Institute for Government's research, such as the relationship between ministers and mandarins and officials' ability to deal with the increasingly complex role played by the private sector in public services.