Caroline with postman Ricky Saffron

I saw a different side of the constituency yesterday morning when I visited a Royal Mail delivery office to find out about the working lives of Brighton Pavilion’s postmen and women.

Royal Mail delivers to 29 million addresses across the UK in all weathers, six days a week, every week of the year.

This huge operation depends on the dedication and hard work of local teams like the one I visited at the North Road delivery office.

The staff based at North Road described to me the every day challenges of this work – the stairs, the dogs, the unpredictable weather!

I also heard about what Royal Mail is doing to keep up with changing times.

For example, one reason for the introduction of trolleys such as that pictured above (rather than the traditional postie’s bike) is the significant increase in packets and parcels due to e-commerce.

I then got to join in – setting off on a round in North Gardens.

It seems to me vital that we safeguard the Royal Mail as a public service.

I can see no economic case for its privatisation, despite government protestations to the contrary.  

Post offices would be under threat, prices could rise still further, and the universal service would be likely to become a thing of the past.  

Our postmen and women do a great job, and our postal service is admired throughout the world.

Let's not jeopardise it.