Treasury officials under Jeremy Hunt “broke the law” by failing to report a black hole in the public finances to the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR), MPs have been told. Richard Hughes, chair of the watchdog, made the accusation to the Commons Treasury select committee during a hearing on the Budget.
The intervention comes amid a row over claims made by Rachel Reeves that Mr Hunt failed to disclose a £22bn spending gap ahead of the election. The OBR has since suggested that the real figure was £9.5bn – but that it nevertheless made a difference to its own calculations.
Mr Hunt has denied the existence of a black hole in the public finances, but the OBR’s position raises questions about his actions, and those of permanent secretary to the Treasury James Bowler. Mr Hughes suggested to MPs on the Treasury Committee yesterday that there may have been a “misunderstanding” about the law that governs disclosures.
Denne historien er fra November 06, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 06, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
HOT AND BOTHERED
We’ve got through Halloween and bonfire night and it’s still too warm for a heavy coat. Helen Coffey asks the experts why the weather’s been so mild and if it will ever get cold again
I'm far happier now than I was being a 'smug married'
Stacey Duguid has embraced being a divorced single mum after leaving an unhappy relationship. She ponders her past obsession with getting hitched and questions a new survey that suggests marriage staves off low mood and depression
'People say we don't care what others think - we do'
South Africa are trying to change perceptions, charismatic director of rugby Rassie Erasmus tells Harry Latham-Coyle
OXFORD SCHOLAR
Des Buckingham is loving life in charge of his hometown club after a nomadic career. He speaks to Lawrence Ostlere
Unlucky Gunners can take hope from defeat to Inter
Arsenal have traded St James’ Park for San Siro but the scoreline has stayed the same.
Markets are re-energised but not everyone's a winner
The financial world has been electrified by Trump’s election victory. Once the new president is installed, though, writes Chris Blackhurst, the implications will become much clearer
McGregor accuser feared she would die, court hears
A woman broke down in tears yesterday as she accused MMA star Conor McGregor of raping her and told a court she was fearful she would never see her daughter again while he was choking her.
'It was so fast. The next day she was found dead inside'
The mangled car in which Jorge Tarazona’s three-year-old niece and sister-in-law died in last week’s flooding in Spain now hangs halfway off the ragged edge of a highway.
Kim expects leverage for lending Putin his troops
North Korea’s leader wants cash, missile technology and food for letting thousands of his soldiers fight against Ukraine
GP jailed over 'audacious' fake Covid jab murder plot
A GP who disguised himself as a nurse and poisoned his mother’s partner with a fake Covid jab in an audacious” plot to murder him has been jailed for 31 years.
