British ministers insist Chancellor Mr Gordon Brown will take no chances with the economy when he delivers his expected £4 billion sterling budget package.
Labour MPs are looking for a series of eye-catching measures to set the stage for a widely anticipated May 3rd general election.
But Social Security Secretary Mr Alistair Darling has stressed Mr Brown will not do anything to jeopardise the economic achievements of the past four years.
"What we want is stability so that businesses can plan for the future," he told the BBC. "Stability also gives you low interest rates which in turn means lower mortgage rates."
Although Mr Brown will be determined not to compromise his hard-won reputation for prudence, analysts believe he can afford to give away £3 billion to £4 billion sterling from his bulging war chest in tax cuts and extra spending.
The Tories have moved to undercut the impact of Mr Brown's budget by leaking secret plans for a staggering £144 billion worth of tax cuts over 10 years if the party returns to power.
Despite a warning last week by the IMF that a big pre-election giveaway could jeopardise the chance of further interest-rate cuts by the Bank of England, most economists believe the strength of the public finances gives Mr Brown some room for manoeuvre.
PA