Hello and welcome to Inside Briefing, the podcast from the Institute for Government. I'm Hannah White.

So, the long wait is over. Sue Gray's report has been published. Lurid details of drinking in Downing Street.

New photos of the Prime Minister standing by a table full of empty bottles.

And the conclusion, in Gray's words, that the senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture.

So, what have we learnt about Gray's findings about that culture and how number 10 operated during the pandemic?

The Prime Minister has apologised, again? Is that enough?

What does Boris Johnson need to do to show that he's really learnt from this experience?

And as this stage of the rather torturous saga comes to a close,

was it even right to ask a sitting civil servant to lead such a significant investigation?

And if not, then who should have done it?

Joining me after a day of shuttling between various broadcast studios or an IFG's duo who have

followed every twist of this story, Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter.

Hello, both.

Hi, Anna.

Hi, Alex, I think you're still somewhere in a studio, aren't you?

So there may be some noises off from you.

Yes, I'm in Media City in Salford, excitingly.

So enjoying it there, but apologies for any background.

And I'm really delighted that we're joined by an award-winning journalist

whose scoops have led the way in the reporting of Partygate, and that's Paul Brand,

UK editor at ITV News and presenter of ITV tonight. Hi, Paul. Hi, Hannah. Thanks for joining us.

Not at all. Now, I want to start with you, Paul, actually, because you got hold of some of these photos before Sue Gray's report landed. What was your reaction when you first saw them?

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