The editor of the Evening Standard apologised today and launched an investigation into how details of the Budget were published on Twitter before the Chancellor’s speech.
Sarah Sands said she was “devastated” by the breach, which saw the London paper’s front page made public before George Osborne addressed MPs in the Commons.
As the Chancellor was on his feet delivering the 2013 Budget, the Labour front bench were closely studying photocopies of the Standard splash which had been tweeted.
In a statement, Ms Sands said: “An investigation is immediately under way into how this front page was made public and the individual who tweeted the page has been suspended while this takes place.
“We have immediately reviewed our procedures. We are devastated that an embargo was breached and offer our heartfelt apologies.”
The newspaper’s political editor, Joe Murphy, also issued an apology.
Mr Murphy tweeted during the speech: “I wish to apologise for a very serious mistake by the Evening Standard earlier which resulted in our front page being tweeted.
“We are so sorry to the House of Commons, to the Speaker and to the Chancellor for what happened. We shall be apologising to them.”
In 1947, Labour chancellor Hugh Dalton had to quit after a Budget was leaked before it was delivered in the Chamber.
The Standard’s front page today detailed several aspects of the Budget relating to duty changes, tax and macroeconomic figures.
It appeared on Twitter shortly before Mr Osborne stood up to deliver his Budget to the Commons.