Floating voters could hold the key to who secures Brighton and Hove’s seats in the general election.

Voters are divided across the city’s three constituencies, a poll commissioned by The Argus has revealed.

The latest research suggests Labour’s Nancy Platts holds a ten-point lead over Conservative Charlotte Vere in the fight for the Brighton Pavilion seat, which is being hotly contested by Green Party leader Caroline Lucas.

But as many as 19% of voters have not made up their mind, according to our poll – leaving thousands of votes up for grabs.

The independent poll, conducted by Kindle Research between February 8 and 14, asked 1,000 residents: “Which party would you vote for if there was a general election tomorrow?” In the Brighton Pavilion constituency, 26% of people said they would vote Labour.

Only 12% said they would vote Green, a stark contrast to poll results published by Caroline Lucas’s party in December, which put the Greens ahead.

Eleven per cent said they would not vote, 7% refused to say how they would vote, 5% said they would vote Lib Dem and 2% said they would vote for other parties.

In Brighton Kemptown, 24% said they would vote Labourand23%Conservative.

In Hove, 26% said they would vote Labour and 23% Tory.

Paul Hutchings, director of Kindle Research, said: “In Brighton Kemptown and Hove it looks like a fairly close race but in Pavilion there is something slightly different going on.

“Labour has got a clear lead at the moment. The Greens are still way behind Labour in Pavilion. If they want to win they will have to do more than convert the undecided voters.”

A poll commissioned by the Green Party in December asked prospective voters whether they would choose to vote Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green or for another party.

But the most recent result asked residents to name the party they favoured – suggesting many do not think of the Greens unless prompted.

Last night Labour and the Conservatives said the poll reflected their experience on the doorstep.

The Green Party refused to accept the poll was a fair representation of voters’ intentions.

A spokesman said: “This survey bears no relation to other polls. Polls by ICM and YouGov put us in a strong lead in Brighton Pavilion on the back of strong local by-election and European election results across the country.”