The chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has apologised and not ruled out his resignation over the accidental early release of the independent body’s fiscal forecast.
In an unprecedented mistake, the OBR disclosed the contents of the budget in what it later called a “technical error” around 40 minutes before the chancellor stood up to deliver her speech in the House Of Commons.
OBR chair Richard Hughes said a link to the fiscal outlook document “went live on our website too early” after it was “unintentionally uploaded” before being subsequently removed.
He told Sky News he was “mortified” when he found out what had happened and an investigation had been launched.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves described the leak as “deeply disappointing” and “a serious error on their part” – but her office said she still “has confidence” in the OBR chief.
Asked later by Sky News chief political correspondent Jon Craig whether he would step down if an investigation recommended it, Mr Hughes said: “I will abide by the recommendations.
“And I always serve, so long as I have the confidence of the chancellor and the Treasury Committee.
“We take it very seriously, which is why we’ve initiated an investigation and why it will report to the Treasury Committee and the Treasury.”
He revealed the body “understands” how the “mistake in the OBR” happened, but did not say if any disciplinary action had already taken place within the organisation.
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Mr Hughes told Sky News he will “take action to make sure it doesn’t happen again”.
The OBR’s report is usually released after a chancellor has delivered their budget statement to the Commons.
The document included growth forecasts, the extent of tax rises and the decision to lift the two-child cap on benefits.
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Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride told the Commons the leak was “outrageous”, adding the document included market-sensitive information and the error might constitute a criminal offence.
James Murray, the chief secretary to the Treasury, told Sky News he only found out about the leak as he walked into the Commons chamber ahead of Prime Minister’s Questions.
He said: “It’s really disappointing and they put up the statement taking full responsibility for it.
“And they said they’re going to have an inquiry, an investigation into what happened. Let’s find out what happened.”
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Sky News political editor Beth Rigby said the early leak meant the chancellor “had lost the room” before she had even started because everyone already knew the details.
“The chancellor must have had a really hard time standing up on her feet when her budget had been leaked, and she was a combination I think of utterly furious, and probably a little bit upset as well,” she said.
“She had lost the room before she had even gone in.”
