Trevor Ivory has expressed his anger on receiving his annual car tax demand, but it is not just the increase in the cost of car tax and fuel duty since Labour came to power in 1997 that has got Mr Ivory cross.

“When I opened the letter from the DVLA I had to look very hard to find the line that said that I could still renew my car tax at some of our remaining Post Offices, despite the website and telephone details to renew direct being emblazoned all over the page.”

“But what has made me really cross was that if I renewed my tax online the DVLA would enter me into a free prize draw to win a new car. Imagine that? I must already own a car to be receiving the tax information and yet this Government wants me to a win a car, making us a two car family – not exactly good for their objective to reduce the number of cars.”

“Gordon Brown has already closed thousands of Post Offices and yet he continues to try to close many more by stealth. The unfair advertising given to the website in this year’s tax demands disadvantages our Post Offices and it has to stop, the Government must promote the Post Office fairly. I certainly do not think it is a good use of taxpayer money to be handing out prizes to those who do not renew their tax at the Post Office – why not have a competition for those who do?”