Who were the worst villains of 2016?

When we think of villains, it's easy to conjure up a cartoon image of Dick Dastardly or Cruella de Vil, but some of this year's villains did a lot worse than trying to cheat in races or attempted puppy murder.

Our political landscape is changing, that's for sure, but there are people and places around the world being left to rot. And in those cases the villains are those rejecting change. With others, it's those who are bringing about change to the detriment of society. We asked our IBT columnists who they thought were the villains of 2016, see if you agree.

ALASTAIR CAMPBELL: In the UK, it would have to be David Cameron, for making a dreadful decision to allow the EU referendum, and the following vicious campaign. Then of course Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, for the lies that helped win the campaign, and Paul Dacre for continuing to edit a national toxin. Overseas, Donald Trump, Bashar al-Assad, and Vladimir Putin.

JIMMY LEACH: Nigel Farage was the most strident, and increasingly smug and offensive voice of small-mindedness, but David Cameron tops him for the witless decision to have a referendum in the first place and the incompetence in going on to lose it. Jeremy Corbyn's irrelevance earns him a special award for being unnoticed.

JAMES BLOODWORTH: It would have to be the so-called 'alt-right', fascists with social media savvy.

LAURA BATES: Philip Davies for attempting to filibuster the Istanbul Convention on violence against women and Donald Trump's cabinet of rich white men accused of spousal abuse.

DANIEL HANNAN: I'd nominate whoever had the idea of wrapping pieces of fruit in clingfilm individually in supermarkets – something I never saw before this year.

MICHAEL TONER: The trouble with picking a villain of the year is that there are so many contenders. Should it be the disgusting Bashar al-Assad of Syria, who barrel-bombs his own people? And what about Vladimir Putin of Russia or Ayatollah Ali Khameini of Iran, both up to their necks in this murderous nightmare?

JANE MERRICK: Vladimir Putin and President Assad for Aleppo; Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Marine Le Pen for playing on people's fears and hatred for political gain.

INNA SHEVCHENKO: The villains of 2016 were the male dictators – Putin, Assad, Erdogan. The Islamist fanatics of Isis and other terrorist groups, the sexist and xenophobic Trump, populist leaders like Viktor Orbán of Hungary, Norbert Hofer in Austria, Geert Wilders of the Netherlands, men that lust for power and know no shame, no humility nor borders. Nevertheless, I won't be unnecessary dogmatic, and will also name some women who contribute to the upkeep of the old world that does not favour women, like Marine Le Pen and Theresa May.

YASMIN ALIBHAI-BROWN: Nigel Farage. But also BBC bosses for giving Farage a free pass till after the referendum when it was too late. Donald Trump and the Democrats, who should have chosen Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders – a dream team. Those Labour MPs who will not stop sulking which lets the Tories do what they want. Jeremy Corbyn for still thinking politics can be non-confrontational like a spell in an ashram. Theresa May for her duplicity and lack of empathy. Flipping Andy Burnham for jumping on the anti-immigrant bandwagon. And finally Katie Hopkins, who brings shame on womanhood and humanity itself.

GUYLINER: Apart from the heroes, everyone else.