Summary
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) accidentally released a key Budget document early, calling it the worst mistake in its history. The leak caused significant disruption and affected the UK's financial markets, as it revealed new measures before the Chancellor officially announced them.
Key Facts
- The OBR said the early release of a Budget document was its biggest mistake in 15 years.
- The document was accessed 43 times from 32 different computers before it was supposed to be released.
- Richard Hughes, the OBR Chair, expressed personal embarrassment about the error.
- A cybersecurity expert was called to investigate how the document was released early.
- The early publication caused problems for Chancellor Rachel Reeves's Budget announcement.
- The leaked document contained important measures, like a pay-per-mile charge on electric vehicles and a freeze on income tax thresholds.
- The OBR apologized for the error and called it a "technical error".
- The OBR is an independent body that evaluates the UK's economy and works closely with the Treasury.
