"Economic stability has been the first priority for Labour in Government and this showed today as Alistair Darling delivered his first Budget.
"I was particularly pleased to hear that the UK is in a strong position to withstand the slowdown in the world economy.
"A strong stable economy has delivered low inflation and interest rates – giving businesses the opportunity to grow, invest and create jobs.
"We now have the highest levels of employment the UK has ever seen.
"Sometimes we take this for granted but not taking the right long-term decisions can put this at risk."