Gordon Brown is viewed by the public as better in a crisis than David Cameron, while support for Labour is showing signs of recovery, according to a new poll.
The ComRes survey for The Independent suggested the Tories' lead over Labour had been cut by more than a third in the last month.
It reinforces the findings of a series of polls taken since Labour's conference last week showing the party closing down on the Tories.
The poll puts the Tories on 41% (down three), Labour on 29% (up four) and the Liberal Democrats on 18% (up one). It also shows the Prime Minister's personal ratings higher than his Tory counterpart's in terms of the current financial turmoil.
Some 43% see Mr Brown as "best in a crisis" compared with 33% for the Tory leader. The Premier is also more trusted on the economy by 43% to 33%.
The findings suggest voters are convinced by the Prime Minister's claim last week that his experience makes him better-placed to guide the country through its present difficulties.
The poll was taken before this week's Conservative conference, however, where the Tories have accused Mr Brown of allowing debt to soar, leading to the current turmoil.
And Mr Cameron is viewed as the most competent to be Prime Minister by 53%, compared with 28% for Mr Brown. The Tory leader is regarded as more likeable than the PM by the same percentages.
Asked which economic pairing - Mr Brown and Chancellor Alistair Darling or Mr Cameron and shadow chancellor George Osborne - would best get Britain through its economic troubles, voters put both on 39%.
ComRes spoke to 1,017 British adults between September 26 and 28, weighting data by past vote recall.
