LONDON—Following mounting concerns about the realism of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s pre-Budget speech, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) clarified Tuesday that her remarks were not technically misleading, but rather, delivered with a level of optimism more commonly seen in children waving sparklers at a fireworks display.

Professor David Miles, speaking to MPs on the House of Commons Treasury Committee, said, “While the Chancellor’s speech occasionally veered into the kind of cheerful abstraction reserved for motivational fridge magnets, it did not mislead anyone actually listening. Unless, of course, they had hopes or dreams.”

The OBR’s official report found Reeves’s forecast of “unprecedented prosperity hidden just out of sight, behind several tough decisions, and a medium-to-large dragon” to be ‘not inconsistent’ with the current economic situation. “Her messaging was technically accurate, in the same way that describing a rainstorm as ‘a refreshing change in humidity’ is not a lie,” noted OBR senior analyst Penelope Chortle.

Reeves herself remained steadfast. “If the people of Britain interpret ‘challenging’ to mean ‘completely bonkers,’ that’s really on them,” she said, before unveiling a new fiscal plan based on ‘good vibes and robust spreadsheets’.

In a rare show of bipartisanship, Shadow Chancellor Nigel Thistlewaite said, “Frankly, after years of misleading statements, it’s refreshing to be confused the old-fashioned way: through vague, hopeful rhetoric. I almost feel nostalgic.”