The UK Treasury committee has rejected calls for fundamental reform of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), arguing that attacks from across the political spectrum amount to “shooting the messenger”. MPs said the independent forecaster should not be blamed for difficult decisions caused by constrained public finances, while acknowledging that its forecasts have become highly influential in shaping government policy.

The committee recommended considering an additional 10-year economic forecast alongside the OBR’s existing five- and 50-year projections. It also proposed that Parliament regularly debate the OBR’s annual assessment of long-term fiscal risks. Established in 2010, the OBR has faced criticism over forecasts linked to austerity and economic growth, while economists have warned that its estimates of government “headroom” can effectively determine which policies are considered permissible.