Starmer raises pressure on head of OBR by saying budget leak was ‘serious error’

Starmer defended his chancellor in a speech that No 10 hopes will bolster Rachel Reeves’s position after days of criticism. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

Keir Starmer has increased pressure on the head of the government’s spending watchdog over the budget leak by saying that while he was “very supportive” of the institution, a “serious error” had been made.

The prime minister said the breach of market-sensitive information, shortly before Rachel Reeves delivered her statement last week, was a “massive discourtesy” to parliament.