It used to be the norm at CBI conferences for politicians to fight over which of them was making life easier for business.
Now business gets told to suck it up and do as they are told.
Not only is their wish list spurned but to be told by the PM that Brexit is a triumph and that it “is already delivering enormous benefits and opportunities for the country”, must really hurt.
The whole hall would have been hard pushed to think of a single benefit to their business from Brexit, certainly the PM seemed to be badly briefed, as he failed to mention one.
This matters because even if Brexit remains completely unchanged the UK cannot move on until there is a serious debate with some serious facts. Brexit causes economic pain, from more red tape, fewer immigrants, lower exports, higher inflation, a weaker pound and enormous barriers to trade.
Unless we can actually say those things and try to find solutions the whole debate is pointless.
This PM, in fact, any sensible PM needs to tell the truth and reset the terms of debate so that the country can progress.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
By Jonty Bloom Media
Brexit has always depended on an abundance of slogans, clichés and religious-like beliefs, along with an almost complete absence of facts and scrutiny.
I know it's a bit of cliché also to lay the blame at the door of the UK's news media. But if not them then whose job is it to scrutinise, challenge challenge with actual facts (rather than "he said, she said" gossip and opinion), and hold to account on behalf of the public... and report to the public?
In any interview, when anyone mentions the benefits of Brexit, how often is the interviewee asked for real examples of the supposed benefits, of a comprehensive list of them?