Hello,

As if you didn't know by now, today is Budget day. In the midst of current economic, and let's face it, political, difficulties, it will be an opportunity for Alistair Darling to set out the way forward.

And the debate that follows is an opportunity for all of us to get over the message that Labour is the only party with the policy substance and progressive values to see Britain through the recession.

It is not hard to find evidence of the economic downside. Today's inflation figures will form an important part of the backdrop, alongside projections on growth on spending.

But on both sides of the Atlantic there have been at least some encouraging signs. Not everyone loves Tesco but you can't deny yesterday's figures are impressive. Interesting comments from
the CBI. Interesting observation from a businessman on the train north the other day (I was on the way up to Burnley's win against Sheffield United) who said he thought things were picking up faster than he had expected.

So this Budget is our opportunity, as Labour people in Go Fourth, to tell a good story about Labour in government, to show that when the agenda is serious policy, we can be strong. There is no point pretending that the Party has not been damaged by Damian McBride's email nonsenses and MPs' expenses.

But in terms of the impact on real people's lives, these are nothing like as important as a Budget, particularly at a time like this. Though some of the recent goals against us may have been very much of the own goal variety, of course it suits the Tories not to talk about the economy, jobs, homes, the NHS and education. Or Europe, with the European elections coming up.

So at least the Budget allows the debate to return to issues that really matter to people. And even in these difficult economic times, for all the negativity in the media, Labour still has a positive case to put, not least on Gordon and Alistair's handling of the crisis.

Here's your to-do list.

1. Watch Alistair Darling's Budget speech in full if possible (even if I can't do so live because of a prior mental health charity event).

2. Visit the Labour website www.labour.org.uk to read up on the details after the event.

3. Log in to the virtual phonebank and spend an hour ringing voters to
discuss the Budget.

4. Urge two Labour friends to do the same.

5. Get out campaigning for Labour with your branch or CLP this weekend. (If your CLP isn't campaigning, JP wants to know about it).

That's all - I know we ask a lot of you, week after week. But think of the consequences if we don't work together for a Labour fourth term. Do you want all the progress Labour has made since 1997 - and don't let anyone tell you this is not a better country - to be dismantled by Tories? Do you want to live in a country run by David Cameron, who still has not set out a clear vision or policy agenda?

Harold Wilson famously said 'the Labour Party is a moral crusade or it is nothing'. He was right. Great causes and challenges remain.

We've heard a lot about the bad side of politics recently. Tomorrow Alistair will show the other side - decent people in important jobs taking difficult decisions to keep the country going forward in difficult times.

Yours Going Fourth

Alastair

www.alastaircampbell.org
www.gofourth.co.uk