Election fever cools as Cameron wipes out Labour poll lead

The first test of public opinion since the Tory leader challenged his opponent to an election showed the Conservatives have drawn neck and neck with Labour.

It followed a 100- day honeymoon period which saw the Prime Minister enjoy leads of up to 11 per cent.

Mr Cameron's dramatic reversal of fortune follows a confident performance in Blackpool in which he highlighted eyecatching cuts to inheritance tax and stamp duty and pledges on crime, immigration and the family.

An ICM poll for today's Guardian newspaper showed Labour's comfortable lead has been obliterated - a drop of eight points since the same survey at the start of the conference season.

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Latest figures show Labour and the Conservatives are on 38 per cent with the Liberal Democrats trailing on 16 per cent. A Populus survey for the Times, also released today, shows a three-point gap, with Labour on 39, the Conservatives on 36 and the LibDems on 15.

A YouGov survey for Channel 4 News last night suggested the gap is four points - with Labour on 40, the Conservatives on 36 and the Liberal Democrats on 13.

The flurry of surveys - said to reflect Mr Brown's private polling data - suggest he might hesitate to call a quick election after just four months in office despite intense lobbying from his closest allies.

The polls were all taken in the hours after Mr Cameron's warmly-received conference speech which was delivered unscripted and in the face of intense pressure.

Mr Brown will make a final decision - which is expected to come on Sunday - after a calm analysis of all polling figures, particularly those in unpredictable marginal seats.

He could still rise to Mr Cameron's challenge and set the date for November 1 or 8, risking what would be the most closely-fought election in years.

If Mr Brown stepped back from the brink, the Tories would accuse him of weakness and brand him a "bottler". There could also be anger from some Labour MPs who may feel they have been "marched up the hill".

Cabinet minister Ed Balls, one of the PM's closest aides, is among those continuing to push for an early election in the hope that it will destroy the Conservatives. But more experienced advisers close to Mr Brown urge caution.

The ICM survey showed support for the Tories has climbed six points on last month to reach the same level as October last year.

Last week, a YouGov poll for Channel 4 News in the wake of Mr Brown's conference speech gave Labour a convincing 11-point lead over the Conservatives on 44 points, with the Conservatives on 33 and the Lib Dems on 13.

The surveys also showed that public enthusiasm for an early election is mounting with YouGov finding 36 per cent want an autumn poll - an increase of seven points on last month.

Labour MPs believe the critical point for calling an election is a lead of four points.

Below that, they believe it becomes increasingly dangerous for the Prime Minister, who has a 66-seat majority.

MPs in Labour marginals would be furious if they lost their seats in what some say would be an unnecessarily early battle.

Private polling in Labour's battlegrounds is also understood to have produced mixed results, further reducing the chances of Mr Brown going to the country in the next few weeks.

Mr Cameron continued to goad the Prime Minister yesterday by writing to him demanding urgent pre-election meetings with senior civil servants.

The Tory leader said opposition leaders were traditionally allowed to brief the mandarins who would implement the policies of a new government.