Chancellor Alistair Darling: Budget will speed economic recovery
He said the Bank of England interest rate of half a per cent was "the lowest it has ever been", reducing the cost of mortgages and loans.
The Bank had been given new means to support the flow of credit and put money into the economy.
Inflation had come down "which means people's income will go further.
"Taken together, the total policy support for the UK economy is expected to protect up to half a million jobs."
