The figures speak for themselves. Our service industries are growing at a rate of nearly three per cent a year on average. They account for almost 80 per cent of our economy. And they amount to 40 per cent of all British exports – with Europe being by far our biggest market. Indeed, an extraordinary 116,000 small businesses export services to the EU. And new analysis shows that two million jobs are either directly or indirectly linked to these exports.

Each of these jobs represents someone with a pay packet; someone providing for themselves and their families. As politicians, we have a duty to tell them what we think the future holds. I can tell each of them, with certainty, that if we stay in Europe their employer will keep the current guaranteed rights to offer services anywhere in the EU.

Those advocating leave can do no such thing. No real-world alternative to EU membership would come close to what we have now. Even the most ambitious trade deal on services the EU has ever struck – with Canada – falls radically short of single-market access.

The latest draft of the Canada deal runs to over 1,500 pages – 800 of which are reservations and barriers. A huge proportion of the deal is about restricting business opportunities, not opening them up. We could see new barriers for British business in every key services sector. Here are just three examples.