AN MP has called for a Government inquiry into the Christmas mail fiasco in Brighton and Hove.

Ivor Caplin, MP for Hove and Portslade, has blamed the problem on the Royal Mail's decision to move all sorting for the area to Gatwick.

He said post was still arriving after the Christmas period.

In a letter to industry minister Alan Johnson he said residents were no longer confident that first class mail would be delivered the following day.

He urged the minister to launch an inquiry into the problem, adding that it was not the fault of Royal Mail staff who worked hard to sort and deliver the mail on time.

Mr Caplin said: "The delays appear to be caused by the new location of the sorting office at Gatwick. But when the post was sorted in Brighton a year ago very few problems were encountered.

"We want to see a resumption of normal service in the future. It is paramount that management responds positively to the concerns of local people."

Roger Baynes, the Royal Mail's head of performance in the South East, said: "There were problems over Christmas as was well documented and these have now been resolved.

"Measures have been taken to ensure that these problems do not happen again, including changes in management.

"The location of the sorting office at Gatwick is not an issue as it is bang in the middle of the areas it serves and has excellent transport and communication links.

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