http://www.ft.com/comment/columnists/notebookhttp://www.ft.com/rss/comment/columnists/notebookFT.com - Columnists, Notebooken© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2009. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse.client.support@ft.com (Client Support)Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:11:25 +0000Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:33:05 +0000Newspapers60http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/comment/columnists/notebook(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/e1c89a68-d560-11de-81ee-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e1c89a68-d560-11de-81ee-00144feabdc0.htmlThe government's enterprise champion was particularly exasperated by young people whom Enterprise Week is supposed to encourage, writes Jonathan Guthrie Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:11:25 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/dbab1888-d48c-11de-a935-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dbab1888-d48c-11de-a935-00144feabdc0.htmlThe time has come for a more contemporary Queen's Speech, one that truly symbolises modern political life. Robert Shrimsley imagines what it would sound likeWed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:37 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/ef4de166-d3ad-11de-8caf-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ef4de166-d3ad-11de-8caf-00144feabdc0.htmlThe very term 'civil service of the State' sounds sinister. Her Majesty should put her foot down, writes Sue Cameron Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:49:06 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/49becba8-d2e9-11de-af63-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/49becba8-d2e9-11de-af63-00144feabdc0.htmlThe Conservatives appear to want to recreate the buzz Labour managed with 'Cool Britannia' in 1997, though that flimsy phenomenon was overblown, writes Brian Groom Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:33:21 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/9a412132-cef9-11de-8a4b-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9a412132-cef9-11de-8a4b-00144feabdc0.htmlThe row over the prime minister's letter to a bereaved army mum shows Mr Brown lacks what is now the most important skill in a leader, says Robert Shrimsley Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:36:17 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/e8bdb2b0-ce2e-11de-a1ea-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e8bdb2b0-ce2e-11de-a1ea-00144feabdc0.htmlA heavy-duty tome launched by the Institute for Government looks at changes in government in Britain and not so surprisingly has much in common with Yes Minister, says Sue Cameron Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:24:44 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9d9f5ea-cd5f-11de-8162-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9d9f5ea-cd5f-11de-8162-00144feabdc0.htmlThe confusion over official economic data threatens to make companies even more risk-averse. That, in turn, could help to ensure recovery is slow, says Brian Groom Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:20:51 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/91e32a7e-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/91e32a7e-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.htmlFrequent fliers simply demonstrate a wider problem: the state is unable to enforce adequately all the laws created by politicians, writes Jonathan Guthrie Thu, 5 Nov 2009 19:58:35 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/73eaf9a4-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/73eaf9a4-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.htmlEquasy addicts should be encouraged to join abuse-management programmes and surrender their charger in return for a supply of hobby-horses, writes Robert Shrimsley Wed, 4 Nov 2009 19:53:01 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/55ca9a0a-c8c9-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/55ca9a0a-c8c9-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.htmlThere seems to be a certain scepticism about Tory plans to give business greater sway over Whitehall, a move that could give outsiders rights to demand the sacking of top civil servants, says Sue Cameron Wed, 4 Nov 2009 03:40:07 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/445951b8-c7e7-11de-8ba8-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/445951b8-c7e7-11de-8ba8-00144feab49a.htmlIn spite of the residual affection for it, attitudes to Royal Mail and its future seem confused, writes Brian Groom. According to one poll, two-thirds of people oppose the current strikes. Yet in another, twice as many sympathised with the workers as with the managementMon, 2 Nov 2009 20:43:21 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/b7811142-c3fc-11de-8de6-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b7811142-c3fc-11de-8de6-00144feab49a.htmlEurope's leaders weigh the pros and cons of appointing a stardust president who can stop traffic or a faceless bureaucrat used to dealing with faceless bureaucracy, Jim Pickard reportsWed, 28 Oct 2009 23:26:10 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/7e33e600-c34b-11de-8eca-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7e33e600-c34b-11de-8eca-00144feab49a.htmlFormer mandarins, who once wielded such power in the corridors of Whitehall, are still causing headaches for Gordon Brown's beleaguered government, writes Sue Cameron Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:07:35 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/345ce55a-bf44-11de-a696-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/345ce55a-bf44-11de-a696-00144feab49a.htmlAfter the prime minister refused to reveal his favourite biscuit, Jim Pickard imagines the discussions that are taking place in Downing StreetThu, 22 Oct 2009 23:54:02 +0100