He's in the last chance saloon and the last few days haven't improved his prospects of survival.

That is one minister's private verdict on Kirstama's job prospects.

So can the Prime Minister escape that saloon bar or is it time to order another

double whiskey? My name is Alex Thomas and this is Inside Briefing, the podcast from the Institute

for Government. Kistama has avoided a privileges committee inquiry after MPs solidly rejected

an opposition party move to trigger an ethics inquiry. But 15 Labour MPs backed the motion and many

others didn't vote. It's hardly the warm up that the government wanted ahead of next next week's big local and devolved elections. And with the impact of the Iran war set to be felt for months to come, can the Prime Minister get his premiership back on track? For lessons on relationship building though and delivering the good vibes, perhaps the Prime Minister should turn to King Charles. The monarch is over in the US where he seems to be doing a good job of flattering Donald Trump

while diplomatically responding to some of the president's recent tantrums. So is the special relationship special again?

And then to the kind of domestic issue that makes few headlines, but arguably matters as much or more than all of the parliamentary drama this week.

And that's children's social care. A new IFG report has dug into a system in crisis,

weighed up the government's reforms and come up with what we say is a better plan. We will speak to

its author. Joining me throughout the podcast is IFG senior fellow Kath Haddon, back on the airwaves all week

to explain parliamentary procedure and constitutional conundrums. Is that your happy place, care?

I think I would like a government just to be effective.

And I, you know, long for the days of the government treading less likely or more likely

on my life, as I was promised.

But no, I mean, obviously it keeps me in a job, so I should not complain.

But yes, I do enjoy, obviously, the nerdery of explaining parliamentary privilege, which is why I do this job. It's been a big week for nerdering. There'll be a bit more to come, I think, with prerogation and all that comes with it. And I'm pleased that we're joined today by James Lyons, number 10's former director of communications. and before that, Deputy Political Editor at both the Sunday Times and The Mirror and Director of Coms at NHS England.

Thanks for joining

us James. Hello. And a question we often ask graduates of Number 10 is whether weeks like this

leave you happy to be out or missing the cut and thrust of the action. How are you feeling?

I have to say I have some colleagues who have also left Number 10 and we regularly exchange messages about what a great day it is not to be working in government.

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