Malcolm Harbour, Conservative MEP for the West Midlands, recently spoke to a Stafford constituency business club lunch at Acton Trussell at the invitation of Jeremy Lefroy, the local Conservative parliamentary candidate.

Mr Harbour, who last year was voted Small Business Friendly Parliamentarian of the Year by the Forum of Private Business, spoke of his work in helping to bring about the single market in services within Europe.

“Britain has a great competitive advantage in service industries,” he pointed out, “and it can only be to our advantage if the barriers put up by other countries are broken down.” He urged local businesses to seize the opportunities which the single market would bring.

Councillor Mike Heenan, Cabinet member for resources on Stafford Borough Council, hosted the meeting.

Afterwards he said: “Stafford has a great history in manufacturing and continues to be a major centre for it within the region. But professional and creative services have an increasingly important role to play in creating well paid jobs.

“We need to ensure both that we encourage local people to stay and set up such businesses here and that we attract investment from outside. Good housing, schools, medical care, leisure facilities and transport all have their role to play in this. The Borough Council is committed to ensuring we have the right infrastructure to take the opportunities which Malcolm Harbour has highlighted.”