A formal investigation into how sensitive details of the Autumn Budget were disclosed to the media ahead of the official statement has been launched by the Treasury.
Minister Confirms Inquiry Under Way
Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray told the House of Commons on Wednesday that a leak inquiry is now proceeding with the "full support of the Chancellor," Rachel Reeves. He stated the investigation, led by Treasury Permanent Secretary James Bowler, will scrutinise security protocols to better safeguard future fiscal events.
The announcement follows significant criticism directed at Chancellor Reeves after several major policies from her tax-raising Budget, delivered on 26 November 2025, were leaked to newspapers. Among the most prominent briefings was the suggestion that the government was considering raising the headline rate of income tax, a proposal later reported to have been shelved due to improved economic forecasts.
Unprecedented OBR Release and Resignation
The series of disclosures culminated in the highly unusual early publication of the Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) economic and fiscal outlook just hours before the Budget statement last week. This document provides the official analysis of all Budget policies.
In the wake of this inadvertent release, the head of the fiscal watchdog, Richard Hughes, resigned on Monday. Answering an urgent question in Parliament, Mr Murray paid tribute to the outgoing OBR chief and pledged that the government would "work closely with the OBR to ensure that robust security arrangements are in place before the spring forecast and for all future forecasts."
Addressing Speculation and Commons Scrutiny
Mr Murray also moved to counter speculation that ministers were displeased with the OBR over a separate letter it sent to the Treasury Committee of MPs. This letter, published last Friday, contained further detail on the timing of pre-measures forecasts, which contributed to claims Ms Reeves had "misled" voters about the state of public finances in a speech on 4 November.
"The Chancellor was aware of that letter and was content for it to be published, and she agreed that with the permanent secretary," Mr Murray told MPs.
During the session, the minister faced direct questions about the potential consequences of the leak inquiry. Dame Meg Hillier, the Labour chairwoman of the Treasury Committee, pointedly asked if anyone found responsible would follow Richard Hughes's lead and resign.
Mr Murray declined to speculate on the inquiry's outcome, stating, "The Government take our obligations to this House very seriously, and last week we produced a Budget that delivers on our priorities for the British people." The episode, which Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle previously derided as the "hokey-cokey Budget," has placed significant focus on the Treasury's internal controls and communication discipline.
