THE man charged with ensuring Labour wins the next General Election last night denied the party's drive to retain power was already under way, after unveiling a new advertising campaign.

Darlington MP Alan Milburn was at the MetroCentre, in Gateshead, for the launch of a new Labour advertising slogan, "Britain is Working".

He said: "It is important to emphasise the fact that we live in a country which is moving forwards and not going backwards.

"Importantly, the economy is stronger and more powerful than those of France and Italy.

The campaign marks the fact that unemployment figures are at their lowest since 1975.

Mr Milburn, who said he believed the state of the economy would play a key role in the election, said: "We should take enormous pride not just in our region, but in our country.

"It doesn't mean we have solved every problem. We live in a great part of the world and we should celebrate that."

The former health secretary left front bench politics to spend more time with his family, but was lured back to London to be the Labour's election co-ordinator.

He laughed off suggestions that Britain would go to the polls on May 5, saying Prime Minister Tony Blair would announce the date when he was ready.

Mr Milburn said: "Lots of people think we are in the pre-election period.

"But there is only one person who knows when the General Election will be and he is not saying."