The shock resignation came for a very specific reason - the early release of Budget information - but the saga surrounding the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will continue with a series of decisions the chancellor will have to make over Richard Hughes's replacement.
Firstly, Rachel Reeves will have to find a respected and credible economist to run the OBR.
There are several candidates who might fit the mould of fiercely independent bean counters.
The list will be carefully watched by the markets for any departure from the normal model. The problem is there is some political pressure to do just that.
One of the points of tension was the refusal of Mr Hughes to give credit to the government for "pro-growth" policies.
