GORDON BROWN kept open the option of an autumn election yesterday as it was announced that two major Commons statements would be made early next week.

The Prime Minister will update MPs on Iraq on Monday, with Chancellor Alistair Darling delivering the pre-budget report and Comprehensive Spending Review the next day.

That effectively clears the decks for Mr Brown to ask the Queen on Tuesday to dissolve Parliament - the last day he can do so if he decides to go to the country November 1.

He will spend the weekend at Number 10 and Chequers, weighing up with close allies whether or not to gamble going to the country only months after taking over at Downing Street.

But the latest opinion polls, which show the Conservatives narrowing Labour's lead - and in one case eliminating it altogether - have cast doubt over whether Mr Brown will take the plunge.

A Guardian poll put Labour and the Tories level-pegging on 38 per cent; a Times survey put Labour three points ahead on 39 per cent; and a Channel 4 News poll reported a four-point Labour lead, by 40 per cent to 36 per cent.

The findings, taken in the wake of David Cameron's unscripted address to the Conservative conference on Wednesday, and Shadow Chancellor George Osborne's plans to slash inheritance tax and stamp duty, mark a significant drop for Labour after last week's leads of as much as 11 per cent.

Mr Cameron was awaiting a response from Mr Brown last night to a request for meetings with senior civil servants about the potential implementation of Conservative policies.

By convention, Opposition politicians are given the chance to meet top officials ahead of a General Election to discuss how their proposals would be put into force if they gained power.

The Prime Minister's spokes-man said yesterday that Mr Brown was considering the request by Mr Cameron - seen as a bid to flush out the PM's intentions - and would "reply at an appropriate time".

Yesterday's announcements do not give any clear indication whether or not Mr Brown will declare an election, but they suggest that he is at least keeping his options open, in case later polls and private polling in key marginals are more favourable to Labour.

Mr Cameron wrote directly to the head of the civil service, Sir Gus O'Donnell, last night, asking for direct talks and complaining that he would not allow Mr Brown's failure to reply to him yesterday to "get in the way" of preparations.

He told the Cabinet Secretary: "I would like such meetings to take place before the actual campaign begins, which would be consistent with past precedent.

"Sadly, the Prime Minister has not yet replied to my letter. I would not want this to get in the way of preparing for the new Government."