Chancellor Rachel Reeves has described the accidental early publication of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s report as “deeply disappointing”, after the market-sensitive document appeared online ahead of her Budget statement.
Opening her remarks in the Commons, Reeves said the OBR had already taken “full responsibility” for the error. She stressed the government’s progress over the past 16 months in “rebuilding the economy”, citing new trade agreements and reforms to fiscal rules.
The OBR, while independent, works closely with the Treasury to produce forecasts used to assess whether the government is on track to meet its self-imposed economic rules. The early release prompted immediate concern among business leaders and cybersecurity experts.
Kenny MacAulay, CEO of accounting software platform Acting Office, said the incident represented a “staggering” breakdown in protocol.
“It’s truly astonishing that such a market-sensitive document could find its way online via official channels in advance of the Chancellor’s speech,” he said. “Basic compliance requirements should be in place to prevent this from happening. A complete review is required to understand how and why such a major breach occurred.”
Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at cybersecurity firm Check Point, warned that the mistake had exposed government vulnerabilities.
“Accidentally publishing a market-sensitive report online before the Chancellor has even delivered her statement is a major security breach that warrants a full investigation,” he said. “Sloppy document management presents clear risks — leaks like this could be exploited by hackers or fraudsters to play the markets. There are no excuses, and the government needs to rethink its entire publication strategy.”
The Treasury has yet to comment on whether a formal review will be launched, but senior officials are expected to face questions about how the error was allowed to happen.