OBR's IT Failures Lead to Premature Budget Leak

Britain's fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), inadvertently published finance minister Rachel Reeves' budget details early due to IT failings. An investigation revealed these failures predated the incident. The premature release sparked ridicule in parliament and was deemed the worst failure in the OBR's history.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), Britain's fiscal watchdog, faced significant backlash after an inadvertent early publication of financial details. The slip-up, attributed to pre-existing IT shortcomings, resulted in finance minister Rachel Reeves' budget being available online ahead of her parliamentary address.

Following the incident, an investigation released by the OBR on Monday conveyed that the IT issues had been present prior to the event. The Financial Outlook report was meant to go live post-budget speech but became accessible nearly an hour prematurely, sparking uproar and mockery within parliamentary circles.

The OBR's non-executive directors described this incident as the worst misstep in the agency's 15-year history, acknowledging the heavy toll it took on its credibility. The report revealed foundational IT failings, prompting a mandate for systemic improvements. Former cyber security head Ciaran Martin is heading the review to prevent future occurrences.

(With inputs from agencies.)