Moment Rachel Reeves discovers Budget has been leaked before she stands up as she reads the news on MP’s phone

This is the surprising moment Rachel Reeves discovered early on that the Budget had been leaked after her Labor colleague Torsten Bell gave her his phone in Parliament.

The Chancellor is thought to have been unaware of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) mistake until he learned the bad news from Mr Bell.

In video footage broadcast live at 12.11pm, Ms Reeves can be seen anxiously looking at her phone as Sir Keir Starmer spoke during Prime Minister’s Questions.

Ms Reeves was later seen typing away at Treasury Secretary James Murray’s phone while Sir Keir continued speaking in the House of Commons.

Moments later, as the Chancellor and Mr Bell were exchanging notes, he was seen telling the Parliamentary Treasurer, Ms Reeves: ‘It’s okay, it’s okay.’

The report, usually published after the Budget announcement, included growth forecasts, the size of tax increases and the decision to remove the two-child limit on social benefits.

As she began speaking, Ms Reeves said the document’s unprecedented pre-Budget release was a ‘deep disappointment and a serious mistake on their part’.

Just minutes ago, the Chancellor’s second Budget was pre-announced with the unexpectedly early publication of the Budget watchdog’s analysis.

Ms Reeves is seen looking at Torsten Bell’s phone as Sir Keir Starmer speaks

The report stated that a series of tax increases were made to fill the black hole in the public finances and that the UK economy will grow slower than expected over the next four years.

The OBR also announced that Ms Reeves will introduce measures aimed at helping those struggling with the costs of living, including removing the two-child limit on benefits.

The document is not planned to be released until after the Chancellor delivers his budget to the House of Commons.

However, this statement, which was the last in a series of leaks and initial statements before the announcement, was published early on the OBR website. The OBR apologized, claiming it was a ‘technical error’.

Sir Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, said it was an “utterly outrageous” leak of potentially criminal, market-sensitive information.

A statement from the OBR said: ‘A link to our economic and financial outlook document went live on our website very early this morning. Removed. We apologize for this technical error and have launched an investigation into how this happened.

‘We will report how this happened to our oversight board, the Treasury and the House of Commons Treasury Committee and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

‘Our economic and financial outlook and supporting documents will be released when the Chancellor finishes his speech.’