Thu, 27 Nov 2025

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis

Rachel Reeves's statement was thrown into chaos after journalists were able to access the document early.

* A document containing key details of Wednesday's Budget was accidentally published online around 40 minutes before the announcement.
* The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has drafted in a cyber-security expert to investigate how this happened, with OBR chairman Richard Hughes calling it a "technical error".
* The leaked document included information on new measures such as: + A pay-per-mile charge on electric vehicles + A three-year freeze on income tax and National Insurance thresholds + A requirement that all new cars be electric or hybrid from 2030, with possible new taxes on them + £2.3bn payout to members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme + Axing of bingo duty from April 2026
* The OBR has apologized for the leak and promised a full investigation.
* Cyber-security expert Patrick Burgess says it was not a cyber-attack, but a "straightforward data-handling mistake" that could have been avoided by normalizing and randomizing file names.
* The leak caused chaos in the Commons chamber during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) and led to Conservative MPs calling for an inquiry into the leak.
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