The World Economic Forum’s slogan is “Dedicated to improving the state of the world”. This year, however, a more fitting motto might be “Fending off a hostile world”.

Last year I ended my report from Davos, where the business and political elites have mixed since the 1970s, by writing: “It is possible — if still unlikely — that when the WEF gathers this time next year, Mr Trump will be US president and the UK will have voted to leave the EU?.?.?.?These developments would turn the Davos world upside down.”

In the interim 12 months, the unlikely has turned into reality. And although the delegates at Davos this week, fuelled by champagne and canapés, will do their utmost to pretend that it is business as usual, the fact is that the world view epitomised by the WEF is under attack as never before.