We're building a brave new Britain

Throughout the election campaign, we took two simple messages out to the voters of our country.

We pledged a Labour Government would make a difference. And we declared we would deliver what we promised.

It has been so exhilarating it is easy to forget it is just over 12 weeks since our historic victory.

Not a long time in the life of any new Government. Let alone one left to grapple with a backlog of problems inherited from the Tories after their 18 years of drift, dogma and incompetence.

We have already shown we will deliver what we promised.

We promised hope to the forgotten army of young jobless and long- term unemployed. We have already delivered.

Look at VAT on fuel. Gordon Brown promised we would cut it to help pensioners - a campaign the Sunday Mirror spearheaded. VAT on heating and lighting will be cut to the lowest level possible to reduce winter bills.

We promised we would rebuild the NHS. The Budget announced an extra pounds 1.2 billion for the NHS.

Tony Blair made clear that education would be the priority of his Government. No one can doubt that now.

And there is more. A total ban on handguns. New impetus to the search for peace in Northern Ireland. Help for working parents. Cleaning up Parliament.

During this three months, the Tories have remained as arrogant, complacent and disunited as before.

We won on May 1 because we convinced voters we deserved the chance to help equip the country for the future.

I know government is a marathon, not a sprint. But I believe the start we have made shows we continue to deserve that chance.

And THIS is what the Tories had to say...

THE Sunday Mirror invited William Hague to reply but he refused - and banned his Shadow Cabinet from responding too. Aren't they boring!

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