Be brave, UK business leaders and say why you're not going to the Saudi Davos

City firms have hardly covered themselves in glory over the Jamal Khashoggi affair

It should be an easy decision for a board of directors to make: after the disappearance of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it would be obscene to send a corporate representative to next week's "Davos in the Desert" event in Riyadh. What's more, it should not be difficult to say so.

The list of high-profile dropouts is growing but, sad to report, the British financial establishment has not led the way to the exit. Big-name chief executives from the US - the likes of Jamie Dimon from JP Morgan - pulled out on Monday but the Brits followed only on Tuesday, leaving the impression they jumped only once it was less embarrassing, or commercially safer, to do so.