MPs tell ministers to stop blaming the OBR for tough Budget choices ahead of John Healey's October statement

From the Newshound archive · first published 23 September 2026.

The cross-party Commons Treasury Committee has rejected calls to fundamentally reform the Office for Budget Responsibility, warning politicians that using the fiscal watchdog as a scapegoat for difficult spending decisions is "shooting the messenger." The report lands weeks before Chancellor John Healey is due to deliver his Budget on October 28, with the committee urging him to publicly defend the OBR's independence "clearly and regularly."

Dame Meg Hillier, who chairs the committee, dismissed claims the OBR wields "dark powers with a stranglehold on Treasury ministers" as "simply not true."

Pressure to reshape the OBR typically stems from a desire for greater spending headroom, the committee said, calling that a "poor substitute" for sound economic policy.

MPs recommended the OBR adopt a 10-year forecast to complement its existing five- and 50-year outlooks, and that Parliament set aside dedicated time to debate its fiscal risks report.