The rural way of life in Britain is under threat as never before. As a new MP, I have been stunned by the blizzard of Government-inspired assaults on basic services for people living in small towns and villages.

Examples are endless. Our cottage hospitals are under threat of closure, despite overwhelming public support. Control over our police, fire and ambulance services is being handed over to remote regional bureaucracies. The magistrates courts, probation service and local councils are next in line for the big is beautiful treatment.

Farmers are effectively financing the new Rural Payments Agency rather than the other way round. This quango has made such a hash of paying farmers that its Chief Executive has been ousted by Ministers.

Our local post offices may now be sacrificed on the altar of Labour's so-called efficiency drive. The newly established card accounts, used locally by thousands of customers to withdraw pensions and benefits at post offices, are to be scrapped.

But my survey of local post offices found that they rely on money spent by card account holders for more than half of their takings. No wonder that the national post office boss is dismayed by a move that now threatens the viability of 10,000 sub-post offices in country areas like ours.

Ministers should remember that not everyone lives in a big city with easy access to essential services. Our small towns and villages need their life support systems too. Labour's disregard for rural areas has gone unchecked for too long.