The end of civilisation

The Guardian reports the thin end of a very large wedge:

"The tie is to follow the bowler hat into oblivion in the new, "smart casual" image for Whitehall civil servants, the retiring cabinet secretary, Sir Andrew Turnbull indicated yesterday.
The 60-year-old mandarin - still dressed in a suit and tie himself - said as long as Whitehall staff still look authoritative and professional, there was no reason why a tieless civil servant should not turn up for meetings or deliver services to the public, particularly in hot weather.
"Obviously it would not be suitable for people to turn up in blue jeans and trainers because it could undermine their authority, but as long as they looked smart they needn't wear a tie," he said."