David Cameron has paid tribute to the "breathtaking beauty" of Oxfordshire's countryside - and pledged a future Tory government would protect rural services.
The Conservative Party leader attacked Labour's "top-down" approach to running the country.
He highlighted under-threat post offices, district general hospitals and small shops and pledged to shift power to local communities.
The Witney MP, in a speech hosted by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), described his West Oxfordshire constituency as "a permanent reminder of the connections between agriculture and landscape, the past and the present, economic activity and often breathtaking beauty".
He said: "The whole area retains its beauty because the planners decided to be tough, balance conservation with economic growth and insist on building in local stone."
But Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said: "Tories in local government have a track record of cuts to local services."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article