Bare knuckle fight

Mario Monti Keystone

The initial exchanges are over on day one at the World Economic Forum in Davos, but the gloves may come off on Thursday.

British Prime Minister David Cameron addresses delegates the day after he promised a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU.

Overlapping his speech will be a debate on the way forward out of the eurozone crisis and then Angela Merkel takes centre stage. I wonder if the German Chancellor will compliment Cameron on his hairstyle or have something else to say?

Italian PM Mario Monti has already scoffed at Cameron’s ambition to renegotiate Britain’s terms with the EU before presenting them for public vote. Just ask them straight: in or out of the EU, Monti stormed.

I will start day two talking to the opposition, the Public Eye awards, that will name and shame the nastiest company in the world – as voted by the public from a shortlist every year.

William Black, author of “The Best Way To Rob A Bank Is to Own One”, will give me his take on the financial industry and how to tame it. I doubt if the banks will receive too many compliments either.