If you were to list the facilities that you would need on any high street, there is a good chance that the local community pharmacy would be right up near the top.

These great institutions, and the fantastic staff who work in them, are an essential part of the social infrastructure of our country. They provide free medical advice, reassurance and vital prescription drugs that many people rely on from day to day.

But the government doesn’t seem to value community pharmacies in the way most people do. They have announced massive cuts to pharmacies totalling £113m next year and a further £95m the year after. Cuts on this level would mean that 3,000 pharmacies would have to close, that’s one in every four across the country.

This is the wrong policy for so many reasons. All the evidence shows that demand for pharmacies has been on the rise, with over a billion items dispensed last year alone, a clear sign of their importance to local communities. And we know what will happen if these closures go ahead, it will just mean more pressure on GPs and A&E services that are already overstretched, probably resulting in even greater costs to the taxpayer in the long run as well as worse results for patients.

Local pharmacies like Murray’s and Coward’s here in Furness are really worried about the cuts, not just for what it means to their businesses but for what it will mean to their patients. Each chemists' has a unique relationship with the community they serve, knowing many customers by name and always willing to do their utmost to provide the best possible service. Many are family businesses where people down the generations have gone through years of dedicated training to qualify as pharmacists.

The case against these cuts is overwhelming. I was pleased that Labour held a debate on the topic in parliament this week and was proud to vote to defend our pharmacies in Furness. It was embarrassing to see government ministers defending this terrible policy, with no regard for the effect it will have on sick people up and down the country.

It’s not just pharmacists and MPs from all parties, including many Conservatives, opposing the policy, over 2.2 million ordinary members of the public have signed a petition calling for pharmacies to be saved - the largest health campaign in history. It is now up to the government to listen to the strength of popular opinion and save our pharmacies before it’s too late.

Pharmacies aren’t the only vital community institutions being put at risk by excessive cuts. The police force has suffered huge funding reductions under this government, resulting in drastic cuts to frontline policing and the loss of 20,000 officers nationwide. Not only is this hampering crime-fighting efforts and making the public less safe, it often results in situations where officers are putting themselves at risk.

There are an estimated 23,000 assaults on police officers each year in England and Wales, and cuts in officer numbers make this more likely as officers are frequently left isolated and vulnerable in dangerous situations. This is especially true in areas like Cumbria, where officers can be sent on their own to deal with situations in remote areas with backup often 20 or 30 minutes away. Our courageous officers put everything on the line to keep us safe, but it is a disgrace that they are being asked to take these huge risks due to government cuts.

This week I voted to stop the cuts, to make the government accurately record statistics on assaults against officers and to impose tough uniform sentences on the offenders. Whether it is pharmacies or police, we can’t let the fabric of our community be undermined in this way. I will keep fighting for local services and the brilliant people who work every day to keep people in Furness safe and well.