Hello, welcome to this week's episode of Inside Briefing, a podcast from the Institute for Government.

I'm Bronwyn Maddox. There have been reports, lots of them, that the Home Secretary has fallen out with the permanent secretary at the Home Office.

Stories too that the Prime Minister wants to fire two other permanent secretaries as well.

And allegations of bullying, again involving the Home Secretary, strenuously denied,

and a growing backlash against the government's treatment of its special advisors.

So is something rotten in the state of Johnson, or is this

just signs of a new administration in a hurry to get things done? This week, we're exploring

the relationships at the heart of government. We'll take a look at how top officials work with

their Secretary of State. What makes it work? What happens when it all goes wrong? What does it

say about the wider relationship between the civil

service and the elected politicians who lead those officials? And what about special advisors?

These politically appointed ministerial aides can have enormous influence, except over whether

they hang on to their own job. Should there be even more of them? We've got a terrific panel

to discuss all this.

Kath Haddon oversees our work on ministers, the Constitution and lots more.

Hi, Kaff.

Hello.

You look at the hidden underbelly of government,

and this week the Commons discovered actual hidden passageways.

What was that all about?

Yes, I don't know if they're doing tours or anything, because if so, I want to go. It was an old passageway that dates from the 17th century that was then blocked up in the 19th century, failed again in the 1950s and then lost, but they've discovered a keyhole in a panel and managed to break their way into this mysterious chamber. You haven't been down it yet.

No, like I said, I don't think they're doing tours, but if they are, I will be first on the list.

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