Jonathan Haskel has been chosen to become the next head of the UK’s fiscal watchdog, according to reports. The appointment follows the resignation of the previous chairman, Richard Hughes, who stepped down in December. Hughes’ resignation is linked to an incident involving the watchdog’s forecasts, after they were mistakenly published earlier than intended. The nomination of Haskel is presented as the next step in restoring continuity in the body’s leadership after that procedural error. The reports indicate that the watchdog’s role continues to focus on producing or overseeing fiscal forecasts and assessments for the UK government, and that leadership changes occur in the wake of the earlier publication problem. Haskel’s selection is therefore framed as a planned transition after the prior chair’s departure, with the goal of ensuring the watchdog maintains its forecasting work under new leadership. No further details on the length of the appointment or specific responsibilities beyond the chair role are included in the provided excerpts.