World Economic Forum slammed for 'rigging data' to make Brexit look like a failure

According to an internal investigation triggered by a whistleblower, Schwab intervened in the 2017/18 Global Competitiveness Report, which ranks countries on productivity and long-term prosperity.

After a change in methodology, the UK’s ranking rose from seventh to fourth. But Schwab reportedly wrote to staff that the UK "must not see any improvement" because it would be "exploited by the Brexit camp".

The final report instead showed the UK dropping to eighth place. At the time, the WEF claimed the Brexit vote had not influenced the rankings but warned that it was likely to undermine Britain’s competitiveness in the long run.

The report stated: "Brexit … will by definition weaken the UK’s markets component as integration with the EU is rolled back".

Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK said: "Every conspiracy theory about Klaus Schwab now turns out to be true. He is a dangerous globalist manipulator".

His deputy Richard Tice added: "No surprise the globalist WEF appears to have distorted facts to prevent sovereignty and independence being seen as a good thing. They are a dreadful organisation that Reform will have nothing to do with".

When the 2017 report was published, the UK had voted to leave the EU but was still locked in early and difficult negotiations. The idea of a second referendum to reverse the 2016 vote was still under discussion.

Then-Prime Minister Theresa May spoke at Davos in both 2017 and 2018, declaring that Britain was approaching its post-Brexit future "with confidence" and intended to "build a truly Global Britain" based on free trade.

The allegations of research tampering are part of a broader internal probe into Schwab's conduct, which also includes claims he misused funds, made suggestive comments to younger staff, and intervened in country rankings for political ends.

Switzerland’s SonntagsZeitung newspaper obtained preliminary findings of the investigation, which is being conducted by law firm Homburger.

The investigation also revealed that Schwab allegedly acted to shield India from a drop of 20 places in the same report.

He was reportedly trying to secure Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attendance at the 2019 Davos conference, which is attended by around 60 world leaders.

Schwab allegedly told staff: "We must protect our relationship with India before Davos 2019". India’s ranking fell by just one place, from 39th to 40th.

The expenses claims of Schwab and his wife Hilde are also under review, with £836,000 in costs reportedly submitted without clear links to WEF activity.

The newspaper also reported that Schwab had "embarrassing interactions" with younger staff and sent "suggestive emails".

Schwab accused the WEF board of breaking a confidentiality agreement after the initial findings were leaked. He said: "I feel deceived. I am not available for further investigations".

Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said: "For such a senior figure in geopolitical affairs to have conspired and manipulated information against Brexit and the democratic outcome of a political process is a stain on the reputation of the WEF and those who are part of that forum, and it is thoroughly unacceptable".

She added: "The WEF had built its reputation on geopolitical thought leadership but has now been exposed for its own anti democratic practices, sinister manipulation and corrupted process all based upon damaging Britain’s reputation and standing in the world because of Schwab’s narrow minded and selfish ideological purposes".

Lord Frost, who negotiated the UK’s Brexit deal under Boris Johnson, said: "It’s rare we get such clear direct evidence of the global establishment’s hostility to Brexit.

Schwab’s alleged deliberate downgrading of Brexit Britain in his Global Competitiveness Report, directly contrary to the actual evidence, shows how deeply embedded distrust of national independence is, and how determined so many people are to suppress any discussion of its benefits".

He added: "Labour’s continued denunciation of our trade agreement with the EU, and their refusal to acknowledge that their trade deals with India and the US would have been impossible without it, are the direct descendants of Schwab’s censorship: ideology before evidence, belief before fact".

The WEF has declined to comment until the investigation concludes, which is expected in August.

The term "Davos Man" was coined by political scientist Samuel P Huntington to describe an elite who "have little need for national loyalty, view national boundaries as obstacles that thankfully are vanishing, and see national governments as residues from the past".