To help to set the scene for this Budget, I wrote at the weekend about why it was last year's Budget that made the difference between the Conservatives winning and losing the next election www.independent.co.uk

Jobless total increases to 2.5m after first rise for a year
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George Osborne today promised "a Budget that tackles the economy's problems head-on, helping those who want to work hard and get on"

Today's Budget will show the government "sticking to the course of tackling the deficit whilst continuing to support aspiration'', said David Cameron's official spokesman. PA

"In tough economic times .. we're sticking to the course of tackling the deficit while continuing to support aspiration" - No10 on Budget

Key terms to expect from George Osborne today, by The Independent's Political Editor Andrew Grice:

- Infrastructure
- Difficult (decisions on spending cuts)
- Course (as in sticking to the course)
- Longer (taking longer than expected to clear the deficit)
- Eurozone (blame someone else)
- Healing (economy is, honestly)
- Miracle (no miracle cure)
- Housing
- Childcare
- Employment (record high)
- Cyprus (example of what can go wrong)
- Restraint (more needed on public spending)

Meanwhile Labour pressed the Chancellor to admit his austerity programme has failed and change the course of his economic policy. Labour leader Ed Miliband said the George Osborne should be "undoing the damage he has done to family budgets, investing properly in our infrastructure and getting growth moving". PA

At-a-glance guide to the "most resented" taxes, so that you can tick them off as @George_Osborne freezes or cuts them www.tns-bmrb.co.uk (See below.)

We'll be flagging up highlights here from Prime Minister's Questions which starts shortly ahead of the Chancellor's Budget statement

Labour leader Ed Miliband says the crisis in Cyprus is undermining trust in banks across the eurozone.

Labour leader Ed Miliband raises concerns that UK-supplied weapons could fall into the hands of jihadists in Syria, at Prime Minister's Questions.

Civil servants are staging a Budget day strike today, hitting courts, government departments, museums and driving test centres in an escalation of a bitter dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions. PA

Lab MPs focussing in #pmqs on new 45p tax top rate that'll come in next month - expect more, much more of this from EdMil in Budget response

We’re expecting George Osborne (or @George_Osborne as he’s known from today – what a time to join Twitter?) to start at 12.30pm. So far, this is what we know – or, at least, what we think we know from the news:
>> The tax-free allowance will rise to £10,000 from 2014, a year earlier than expected
>> Working parents earning up to £150,000 will get £1,200 help a year to pay for childcare help – though many are not happy that families with stay-at-home mothers are set to miss out
>> The planned rise in fuel duty – set to have started in September – will be delayed or even scrapped
>> The expected 6p rise in duty on a pint of beer will be abandoned
>> Some Whitehall departments will have to save £2.5bn to pay for capital projects aimed at kick-starting an ailing economy
>> Speaking of which, the economic figures are expected to make grim reading
>> Unemployment has risen for the first time in a year, according to the ONS, up 7,000 to 2.52 million

Hamish McRae looks even further ahead than 12.30pm today:

The Budget of 2018: Future governments will have to learn how to do more with less
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Most public relations experts believe that Government communications over the Budget has been poorly controlled.

A survey of agency bosses found that fewer than a third believed the Government's PR preparation for today's big announcement has been well controlled.

The poll of over 70 communications staff by the Public Relations Consultants Association, also found that half believed the Budget will have no impact on economic growth. (PA)

PMQs over-running as always on Budget Day with everyone keen to share the highlight...