The Office for National Statistics (ONS), with its number-crunchers and crack-of-dawn data dumps, is an unlikely backdrop for turmoil. But in recent months the Newport-based institution has come under repeated attack over questionable jobs figures, which experts have said leave policymakers "flying blind".
On top of this, questions are being asked about survey data used to formulate its GDP readings, which were revised down for the second and third quarters yesterday.
The debate over jobs statistics comes at a crucial moment for the UK labour market, with unemployment rising and business lobby groups claiming Rachel Reeves's budget tax policies will lead to job losses.
The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, felt so concerned about the quality of the labour force survey (LFS) - the official measure of employment in the UK - that he raised it at the annual City shindig at Mansion House, calling it a "substantial problem".
"I do struggle to explain when my fellow governors ask me why the British are particularly bad at this," he said.
Response rates to the LFS, which involves a letter sent to households and followed up with a phone call or in-person interview, were already falling before 2020, then plunged during the pandemic and remained low afterwards - hitting a nadir of 17.4% last year.
The living costs and food survey - used in the GDP readings - receives similar response rates, increasing the chance of GDP revisions, Bloomberg reported.
Economists are concerned that the LFS may be more likely to pick up people who are at home - potentially overestimating economic inactivity.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 24, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 24, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Stokes faces three months out but vows to fight back
Ben Stokes said he was prepared to go through \"blood, sweat and tears\" for England after it was announced he will undergo surgery in January and is out of action for at least three months with a torn hamstring.
'Huge blow' Saka's hamstring tear leaves Arsenal scrambling for options
Mikel Arteta has said he and Arsenal must find a way to cope without Bukayo Saka after confirming the England forward is set to be sidelined for \"many weeks\" due to the hamstring injury he sustained against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
'We have to change for the better': Kulusevski on what's next for Spurs
Forward says his side need to evolve after Sunday's painful defeat to leaders Liverpool
Juric vows 'death metal football' style for Saints
Southampton's new manager, Ivan Juric, says he plans to implement an aggressive style of play similar to death metal, his favourite genre of music.
Liverpool's lead at the top is due to much more than good luck
They may have faced some teams at the right time but Slot has improved players to the extent it is their title to lose
Amorim given free rein over Rashford call
Ruben Amorim's exclusion of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United's past three match-day squads is solely his decision, with the head coach under no pressure from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's football department.
'We do what the police cannot': Fanprojekte face battle to survive
A German court case threatens the existence of projects that play a crucial social-work role with football fans
'It's opened my mind': inside the FA's all-female coaching course
WSL stars past and present have signed up to an A licence course that aims to boost the number of female coaches
Clayton edges past Mansell in sudden-death thriller
Jonny Clayton won a sudden-death leg in the deciding set to edge past Mickey Mansell and book his place in the third round of the PDC world championship after an epic contest at Alexandra Palace.
Fury ceased clowning to push Usyk to his limits but this special champion always finds a new gear
Once upon a time, the world stopped to watch when the heavyweight championship was at stake. Oleksandr Usyk's unanimous-decision triumph over Tyson Fury in Riyadh on Saturday was barely noticed.