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The Director of National Statistics immediately resigned, citing “continuing health issues” as UK data agencies are under attack due to flaws in key economic indicators.
Ian Diamond’s exit is because a government commissioned review scrutinizes the leadership, culture and structure of the institution after a series of errors in economic indicators, along with delays in data publications.
The UK Statistics Office, which oversees the ONS, has resigned as health issues mean that they “cannot provide a full commitment to moving the organization forward.”
Diamond has been replaced by Ontario Emma Rourke, a national statistician for health, population and methods as they await a long-term arrangement, the UKSA added Friday.
ONS addresses some of the most market-sensitive data it generates, making it difficult for policymakers to make decisions about how to pilot the economy.
The Bank of England is speaking out about the issues they encounter with setting interest rates, given the sharp decline in response to labor force surveys for institutions supporting key data such as unemployment rates.
The “transformed” LFS, which aims to provide more accurate photos than policymakers, suffers from repeated delays and will only be launched at the end of 2026.
Diamond, who won praise during his early tenure for his way in which the agency responded to the needs of the Covid-19 pandemic, said it was “the honor and privilege to lead the ONS over the past five and a half years.”
However, he added that the next stage of delivery of the agency will require “energy leadership” including the implementation of independent findings commissioned by the Cabinet Office and the UKSA.
“Unfortunately, I have made the decision that due to ongoing health issues, I cannot give my commitment to the role of a national statistician who wants to feel that it’s the right time for someone else to pick up the baton,” Diamond said.
An internal review of errors that caused the collapse of the survey last fall reveals that leadership failure contributed to the morale crisis in the ONS, resulting in insufficient strategic choices that lead to “systematic and complex investments of surveys.”
A preliminary review of broader concerns about the quality of numbers issued last month by the UKSA’s regulatory authority, Statistics and Regulation Authority, noted a “lack of investment” in data collection.
The ONS urged government agencies to take “decisive action to restore trust” within a week of reporting that they had been cut to match the 2025-26 budget.
ONS is currently focusing on its core economic statistics, reducing its work in key policy areas (such as measuring public sector productivity and crime against children).
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Mike Keogan, another ONS assistant national statistician, left the agency in March.
UKSA Chair Robert Cheto said Diamond showed “uncontinuous energy” and oversaw many successes in the ONS “especially during the pandemic during a prominent period of economic and social change.”
Rourke will continue to move its agents forward “with a new focus on the high-quality economy and demographics of public goods,” he added.
