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The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has launched a high-level investigation after a “botched” release exposed key details of Wednesday’s Budget early.
The OBR’s official economic forecast appeared online 40 minutes ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s announcement, throwing her statement into chaos.
The market-sensitive document confirmed several major policies, including a pay-per-mile charge on electric vehicles and a three-year freeze on tax thresholds.
The OBR blamed a “technical error” for the leak. Journalists accessed the unlisted document by guessing its URL, which mirrored a previous official link.
OBR chairman Richard Hughes said he was “personally mortified” by the incident and acknowledged the “deep disruption.”
He confirmed the document was published online via a direct, unlisted link, even though it wasn’t connected to the OBR’s main web page.
To lead the comprehensive review, the OBR has drafted in Professor Ciaran Martin, the former head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Professor Martin will provide “expert input” for the investigation, with results due to be reported to MPs.
The premature publication caused brief volatility in the UK bond market.
The political fallout was immediate. Notes were rushed to Rachel Reeves in the House of Commons.
Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride called the incident “utterly outrageous” and demanded an inquiry, suggesting the leak “may constitute a criminal act.”
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