Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown was to unveil his annual budget ahead of a looming general election, when his Labour government hopes to win a third consecutive term in office thanks to a robust domestic economy.

　　Brown was expected to repeat before parliament his view that the British economy would grow by 3.0-3.5 percent this year.

　　It grew by 3.1 percent in 2004, missing Brown's target of 3.25 percent, but still the best annual gross domestic product growth since 2000.

　　Presenting his ninth annual budget since Labour's re-election in 1997, Brown was expected to paint a rosy picture of the economy ahead of a general election, widely predicted to be called for early May.

　　"Based on his optimistic growth assumptions, Brown is likely to declare that his fiscal rules are met and the economy is in very good shape," HSBC economist John Butler said Tuesday.

　　Brown's stewardship of the economy, outperforming many of its eurozone neighbours, is seen as one of the strongest electoral cards for Prime Minister Tony Blair's government.

　　The chancellor has meanwhile been boosted by data suggesting that he may now meet his "golden rule" of balancing the budget within the current economic cycle.

　　Brown's hand was strengthened slightly when the government coffers were boosted by an extra 2.1 billion pounds last week after National Statistics said it had been "double counting" government expenditure on roads for the past five years.

　　Public sector net borrowing -- the government's preferred measure of the public sector finances -- recorded a surplus of 6.6 billion pounds, compared with a surplus of 3.6 billion in January 2004, owing to a jump in tax receipts.

　　With an election nearing, Brown was expected to reveal measures aimed at helping pensioners, new mothers and first-time home buyers -- delivering family-friendly sweeteners in an attempt to woo voters.