In the years after the Second World War, there was a determination never again to repeat the horrors of the 1930s and 1940s. Countries – including the UK and the US – built international alliances and coalitions around values and the aim of global stability.

The United Nations, the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Union have all played a role in protecting people from persecution and preventing further global conflicts.

This week, one of these key institutions, Nato – set up to counter the communist threat to our democratic freedoms – celebrates its 70th anniversary.

But, worryingly, many of the institutions created to bring countries together are now being undermined, with the rules, norms and values of the last seven decades under assault from a dangerous new wave of populism and nativism.

This is being led by the likes of Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Matteo Salvini in Italy, Andrzej Duda in Poland, Donald Trump in the USA, and his kindred spirits here in the UK – Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, who I believe are adopting and normalising the same divisive language and tactics of the far-right.

Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Show all 29 1 /29 Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump styles his 'You're fired!' pose in his Trump Tower office in June 2012. At the time he was known as a reality TV star on The Apprentice Diane Bondareff/Invision/AP Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves He was also well known as the patron of the Miss Universe competition Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Early signs of Trump's ambition for the presidency can be found everywhere. Not least in his 2011 book 'Time to get tough: Making America #1 again' Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump with Piers Morgan in November 2010. Piers Morgan has long held that he and Trump are good friends Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump appeared on Fox & Friends, his favourite show, in August 2011 Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump considered running in the 2012 election, where he would have faced Barack Obama. He is speaking here at an event for a Republican women's group Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump was subject to a Comedy Central roast in 2011. He is pictured here being roasted by rapper Snoop Dogg Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Given that this Trump store is in the lobby of Trump Tower, it can be said that Trump sells merchandise of himself out of his own home Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump held meetings with prominent Republicans when considering his 2012 bid. He is pictured here with Alaska governor Sarah Palin Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves He didn't end up running in 2012 afterall, instead endorsing Republican candidate Mitt Romney AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump's golf course in Aberdeen proved controversial in 2012 when he began lobbying the Scottish government against wind power in order that they wouldn't install turbines off the shore by his new course Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves He even gave evidence to a Scottish parliamentary committee discouraging wind energy AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves He still found time for a round of course AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves On 16 June 2015, Trump announced that he would run for the presidency of the United States in the 2016 election as a Republican Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves His campaign was divisive, courting controversy wherever he went. Ultimately he was declared the Republican candidate in June 2016 Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump took part in the TV debate against opponent Hillary Clinton on 9 October Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump and wife Melania vote in the presidential election on 8 November 2016 AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Hillary Clinton conceded defeat at 2:50am on 9 November and president-elect Trump swiftly delivered his victory speech to a crowd of supporters Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves News coverage around the world focused on the huge political upset that Trump's victory spelled AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump met with president Obama to discusss transition planning on 10 November. AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Donald Trump and Nigel Farage pose in the golden elevator at Trump Tower on 12 November 2016. Farage was the first British politician to meet with Trump after the election LeaveEUOffical/Twitter Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves The inauguration of Donald Trump took place on 20 January 2017. Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer boasted that the crowd was the 'largest ever' to witness an inauguration, a claim that was proved not to be true Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves In his first 100 days as leader, Trump signed 24 executve orders, the most of any president AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves One of Trump's most memorable election pledges was to build a wall between the US and Mexico. He is standing here in front of a prototype for a section of the wall Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump's meetings with other world leaders have provided no short supply of photo opportunities Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump was welcomed to the UK by the Queen and a state banquet was held at Buckingham Palace in his honour Reuters Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Not everyone welcomed the president. Mass protests were held in London throughout his visits in both 2018 and 2019 EPA Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves One of the most significant meetings Trump has held with another leader was with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. In June 2019, Trump became the first sitting president to set foot in North Korea Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves 2020 will see president Trump fight for a second term in office, who knows what the next decade will bring? Getty

These reactionary voices are not identical, but they appear to share common defining characteristics. They tell untruths, peddle fake news and, I believe, seek political benefit from a strategy of deepening racial and religious tensions and fear of "the other".

Instead of bringing people together – recognising that the solutions to the world’s problems are international – they seek to undermine the supranational institutions established to maintain our peace and prosperity, preferring a retreat into nationalism. And, it seems, they see as a key aim the dismantling of the crucial social democratic safety nets, like the NHS and the welfare state, which underpin the post-war consensus.

Whether he likes it or not, Trump is the global figurehead of this new movement. After three years in office, it's now clear that his true doctrine is not just America First, as he claims, but White America First – through the embracing of white nationalism.

In normal times, the head of state of our most important ally arriving in the UK for a Nato summit would be a moment of unity and pride and a chance to renew our collective commitment to safeguarding democratic freedoms.

But this summit is different. We are confronted with a US president who has questioned the founding principles of Nato, advocates narrow nationalism over multilateralism, and openly attacks the progressive and internationalist values we have fought so hard to defend in the west.

He has turned a blind eye to Russia’s campaign to destabilise Nato members in Europe as well as Putin’s interference in the last US presidential election.

And with both his words and his deeds, he has repeatedly propagated the dangerous myth that Islam is somehow incompatible with our western values – and that we are in the midst of a clash of civilisations.

In doing so, he is pushing the same false narrative as those he claims to hate so much, playing straight into the hands of the sick and twisted extremists – like the London Bridge terrorist – who despise our open, liberal values and believe they are not compatible with Islam. They are wrong.

Trump's use of such inflammatory, divisive and hate-filled rhetoric is only stoking animosity at a time when we need to bring people together.

In the UK, we have seen how the long shadow of Trump’s agenda and the rise of the far-right extends far beyond the US. There has been a disturbing increase in the public demonization of immigrants and minorities in our country – with senior politicians playing communities off against one another for political gain.

We have a British prime minister who has stoked a crude nationalism based on a bygone era, and who has previously employed racist, Islamophobic, homophobic and sexist slurs. We have also seen Nigel Farage meekly stand aside for Johnson in this general election because their parties’ agendas are now so aligned.

So, with the UK election just over a week away, and with the US presidential election less than a year away, the next 12 months will likely be decisive in determining whether or not the democratic world confronts this growing threat.