Starmer raises pressure on head of OBR by saying budget leak was ‘serious error’

PM says he is ‘very supportive’ of spending watchdog but breach was a ‘massive discourtesy’ to parliament

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Keir Starmer has increased pressure on the head of the government’s spending watchdog over the budget leak by saying that while he was “very supportive” of the institution, a “serious error” had been made.

The prime minister said the breach of market-sensitive information, shortly before Rachel Reeves delivered her statement last week, was a “massive discourtesy” to parliament.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is expected to publish the result of its investigation into the leak on Monday afternoon, with the future of Richard Hughes, its chair, looking increasingly uncertain.