Bilderberg conspiracies are 'absolute nonsense', Ken Clarke insists after being called to Parliament over secret meetings

Commons Speaker John Bercow grants urgent question Meeting in Watford also attended by David Cameron and George Osborne No.10 refused to give details of the Prime Minister's 'private meeting' Attendees include politicians, top business executives and royalty Heavily-guarded event is the focus of conspiracy theorists U.S. radio host Alex Jones was branded an 'idiot' on BBC's Sunday Politics
By Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor PUBLISHED: 13:37 GMT, 10 June 2013 | UPDATED: 16:20 GMT, 10 June 2013

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Questions: Senior minister Ken Clarke has been summoned to the Commons to answer questions about the Bilderberg Group, of which he is an elected member

Ken Clarke today dismissed conspiracy theories about the secretive Bilderberg Group conference as 'absolute nonsense'. And in a thinly-veiled swipe at Commons Speaker John Bercow, he said he could not believe he had been dragged to the Commons to comment on an event held by a private organisation. The senior minister attended the Bilderberg meeting with David Cameron and George Osborne last week, but Downing Street has refused to give any information about who they met or what was discussed. Labour figures including Ed Balls and Lord Mandelson also attended. Today Mr Clarke was called to the Commons to explain what happened at the four-day conference, after Mr Cameron once promised to lead the 'most open and transparent government in the world'. Mr Bercow granted an urgent question from Labour MP Michael Meacher about the impact of the conference on government policy. But in a reference to the internet conspiracy theories, Mr Clarke joked that if Mr Meacher 'finds something deeply disturbing abut this, might I suggest he finds a different group of people to exchange tweets with'. Mr Clarke, minister without portfolio, is an elected member of the steering group which governs the the Bilderberg group. In a dismissive statement to MPs, he said it was the 'first occasion for me as I have never previously answered a question in the House of Commons about a private organisation for which the government has no responsibility'. He insisted that everyone who attended the conference did so as an individual and not representing any organisaton. 'We go there for the chance of having an off-the-record, informal discussion with the range of people you described, who are indeed distinguished but who are not remotely interested in getting together to decide anything. 'I always find it greatly adds to the depths of my understanding of what is being talked about and contemplated in parts of the States and Europe as well.' And in a direct swipe at Mr Meacher he added: 'With the greatest respect, this is total, utter nonsense, and I would not normally regard you as the sort of person who would be taken in by this sort of rubbish.' But Mr Meacher, an environment minister in Tony Blair's government, insisted there was something amiss. 'It is said by some, and indeed by you, that Bilderberg is a conspiracy - of course it's not a conspiracy. 'But at the same time 130 of the world's top decision-makers don't travel thousands of miles simply for a cosy chat. 'They have come here in order to concert their plans to deal with a particularly awkward stage in western capitalism and as such we, the public, are entitled to ask some questions and to hold them to account.'

Refusal: David Cameron and George Osborne both attended the meeting in Watford last week but will not say who they met or what aspects of government policy were discussed

Cunning plan: American protestor and Radio DJ Alex Jones sailed a protest barge right through the security zone at the Bilderberg group meeting, which attracts controversy every year

Disruption: Alex Jones protesting from his barge, challenging security measures surrounding the event

Famous for being shrouded in secrecy, the Bilderberg conference took place in Britain for the first time since 1998 and conspiracy theorists believe this is where leaders plot world domination. In an extraordinary clash on live TV yesterday, US radio host Alex Jones was branded an 'idiot' by BBC presenter Andrew Neil after ranting about the conference and the American government 'disappearing people'. The huge police operation drafted in to monitor the four-day event in Watford, which has previously attracted mass demonstrations, could cost the British taxpayer as much as 2million or more, it has been claimed. Mr Cameron attended on Friday night, and took part in a discussion about 'domestic and global economic issues'.

He was invited as Prime Minister of the host country but today Downing Street refused to give any details of the people he met or any discussions which related to government policy. 'It was a private meeting,' the PM's official spokesman said. 'He attended Bilderberg on Friday. I don't have any more to add to that.' Justifying the meeting on Friday, Number 10 said Mr Cameron thought it was an opportunity to discuss economic issues with senior ministers, business people and academics.' Mr Jones, who floated a barge along a canal near the conference at the weekend, appeared on BBC1's Sunday Politics to discuss the event. But he launched into a noisy rant about the theories available on his website about the U.S. government disappearing people, which led to him eventually being cut off by Mr Neil, 64.

Confrontation: U.S. radio host Alex Jones (right) was on BBC Ones Sunday Politics with Andrew Neil (left) to discuss the secretive Bilderberg Conference, which has been taking place over the past week near Watford

Andrew Neil ridicules American shock jock on BBC Sunday Politics

Mr Neil told him: 'You (Mr Jones) are the worst person I've ever interviewed. David (Aaronovitch), thank you for being with us. It's gone half past 11. You're watching the Sunday Politics.' The presenter then added: We have an idiot on the programme today, before using hand gestures to indicate that Mr Jones had lost his mind, as the American continued to shout at him off camera. Mr Jones had said: Hey listen, I'm here to warn people, you keep telling me to shut up. This isn't a game. Our government, the US, is building Fema (Federal Emergency Management Agency) camps. We have an NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) where they disappear people now. You have this arrest for public safety, life in prison. It's basically off with their heads, disappear them. Mr Cameron has made great play of his commitment to be more open about who he meets. In 2010 he promised: 'We want to be the most open and transparent government in the world.' Downing Street was forced to deny that Mr Cameron's decision to attend this evening ran counter to his pledge. The spokesman added: 'The Prime Minister has always been clear about the importance of transparency, which is why this Government has taken a number of steps in terms of publishing more data, more information and making details of meetings available. 'We publish far more information on meetings than previous governments. The Prime Minister regularly has meetings with key ministers from other countries and with business people and others as part of his job. 'That doesn't mean that he is not determined to lead the most transparent government.'

Controversy: Protesters gathered to at vehicles arriving at the conference in protest at its secretive nature

'Outrageous': The huge police operation drafted in to monitor the four-day event, which has previously attracted mass demonstrations, could cost the British taxpayer as much as 2million or more, it has been claimed

Sweep: Police are seen to be doing security checks in bushes outside the hotel grounds

Since its inception in 1954, Bilderberg has held annual gatherings of 120-150 invited political leaders and experts from industry, finance, academia and the media, designed to 'foster dialogue between Europe and North America'. The group describes the conference as 'a forum for informal, off-the-record discussions about megatrends and the major issues facing the world' and states that the private nature of the meeting allows participants to 'listen, reflect and gather insights' without being bound by the conventions of office or by pre-agreed public positions. There is no detailed agenda, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued.

Several cars with blacked-out windows entered the gates of the Grove Hotel, near Watford, in Hertfordshire, were seen arriving the secretive meeting. Some were heckled by crowds of protestors outside. It is thought billionaire executives from multinational companies such as Amazon and Google, high-ranking political figures and even members of royal families were among the 130 or so attendees.

BILDERBERG CONFERENCE 2013: FULL LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Castries, Henri de (chairman) Achleitner, Paul M. Chairman and CEO, AXA Group Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank AG Chairman of the Board, Zurich Insurance Ackermann, Josef Group Ltd Former Chairman, Barclays Agius, Marcus plc Chairman, UBM Alexander, Helen plc Executive Chairman, Evercore Altman, Roger C. Partners Director, Finnish Business and Policy Forum Apunen, Matti EVA Professor of Economics, Stanford Graduate School of Athey, Susan Business Columnist, Milliyet Aydntaba, Asl Newspaper Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Financial Babacan, Ali Affairs Balls, Edward M. Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Balsemo, Francisco Chairman and CEO, Pinto IMPRESA Barr, Nicolas Managing Editor, Les Echos Barroso, Jos M. President, European Commission Duro Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher Baverez, Nicolas LLP Bavinchove, Olivier Commander, Eurocorps de Regius Professor of Medicine, University of Bell, John Oxford Chairman and CEO, Telecom Italia Bernab, Franco S.p.A. Bezos, Jeff Founder and CEO, Amazon.com Bildt, Carl Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Borg, Anders Finance Boxmeer, Jean Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, Heineken Franois van N.V. Brandtzg, Svein President and CEO, Norsk Hydro Richard ASA Bronner, Oscar Publisher, Der Standard Medienwelt Former Honorary Chairman, Bilderberg Carrington, Peter Meetings Cebrin, Juan Luis Executive Chairman, Grupo PRISA Clark, W. Edmund President and CEO, TD Bank Group Clarke, Kenneth Member of Parliament Minister of Corydon, Bjarne Finance Cowper-Coles, Business Development Director, International, BAE Sherard Systems plc

Cucchiani, Enrico Tommaso Davignon, Etienne

CEO, Intesa Sanpaolo SpA

Minister of State; Former Chairman, Bilderberg Meetings Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey & Davis, Ian Company Director and Leon Levy Professor, Institute for Dijkgraaf, Robbert H. Advanced Study President, Retail and Insurance Group, Sabanc Holding Diner, Haluk A.S. Group Chief Executive, BP Dudley, Robert plc Eberstadt, Nicholas Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy, American Enterprise N. Institute Eide, Espen Barth Minister of Foreign Affairs President and CEO, Ekholm, Brje Investor AB Enders, Thomas CEO, EADS Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs & Evans, J. Michael Co. Federspiel, Ulrik Executive Vice President, Haldor Topse A/S Professor of Economics, Harvard University; President Emeritus, Feldstein, Martin S. NBER Fillon, Franois Former Prime Minister President, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Fishman, Mark C. Research Flint, Douglas J. Group Chairman, HSBC Holdings plc Gallagher, Paul Senior Counsel Geithner, Timothy F. Former Secretary of the Treasury Political Gfoeller, Michael Consultant Chairman and CEO, The Washington Post Graham, Donald E. Company Grillo, Ulrich CEO, Grillo-Werke AG Gruber, Lilli Journalist - Anchorwoman, La 7 TV Minister of Economy and Guindos, Luis de Competitiveness Group Chief Executive, HSBC Gulliver, Stuart Holdings plc Member of the Swiss Council of Gutzwiller, Felix States Halberstadt, Victor Professor of Economics, Leiden University Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Heinonen, Olli Harvard Kennedy School Henry, Simon CFO, Royal Dutch Shell plc Chairman and CEO, Capgemini Hermelin, Paul Group Isla, Pablo Chairman and CEO, Inditex Group Jacobs, Kenneth M. Chairman and CEO, Lazard Johnson, James A. Chairman, Johnson Capital Partners Jordan, Thomas J. Chairman of the Governing Board, Swiss National Bank Jordan, Jr., Vernon E. Managing Director, Lazard Freres & Co. LLC Kaplan, Robert D. Chief Geopolitical Analyst, Stratfor Founder and CEO, Palantir Karp, Alex Technologies Independent Member, House of Kerr, John Lords Kissinger, Henry A. Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Inc.

Kleinfeld, Klaus Knot, Klaas H.W. Ko, Mustafa V. Koch, Roland

Chairman and CEO, Alcoa President, De Nederlandsche Bank Chairman, Ko Holding A.S. CEO, Bilfinger SE Co-Chairman and Co-CEO, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Kravis, Henry R. Co. Kravis, Marie-Jose Senior Fellow and Vice Chair, Hudson Institute Kudelski, Andr Chairman and CEO, Kudelski Group Kyriacopoulos, Chairman, S&B Industrial Minerals Ulysses S.A. Managing Director, International Monetary Lagarde, Christine Fund Chairman of the Economic Council to the Lauk, Kurt J. CDU, Berlin Lessig, Lawrence Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership, Harvard Law School Chairman of the Board of Directors, KBC Leysen, Thomas Group Party Leader, Free Democratic Party (FDP Lindner, Christian NRW) Lfven, Stefan Party Leader, Social Democratic Party (SAP) Lscher, Peter President and CEO, Siemens AG Chairman, Global Counsel; Chairman, Lazard Mandelson, Peter International Mathews, Jessica T. President, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace McKenna, Frank Chair, Brookfield Asset Management Editor-in-Chief, The Micklethwait, John Economist President, French Institute for International Montbrial, Thierry de Relations Monti, Mario Former Prime Minister Senior Advisor to the CEO, Microsoft Mundie, Craig J. Corporation Nagel, Alberto CEO, Mediobanca Netherlands, H.R.H. Princess Beatrix of The Ng, Andrew Y. Co-Founder, Coursera Ollila, Jorma Chairman, Royal Dutch Shell, plc Visiting Professor, King's College Omand, David London Chancellor of the Osborne, George Exchequer Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Ottolenghi, Emanuele Democracies Senior Lecturer, Kadir Has University; Columnist, Habertrk zel, Soli Newspaper Executive Editor, Kathimerini Papahelas, Alexis Newspaper Member of Parliament Pavey, afak (CHP) Member of Parliament Pcresse, Valrie (UMP) Perle, Richard N. Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute General, U.S. Army Petraeus, David H. (Retired) Portas, Paulo Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Prichard, J. Robert S. Chair, Torys LLP Reding, Viviane Vice President and Commissioner for Justice, European Commission Reisman, Heather M. CEO, Indigo Books & Music Inc.

Professor of Economics, London Business School Partner, Robertson Robey Associates LLP; Deputy Chairman, HSBC Robertson, Simon Holdings Rocca, Gianfelice Chairman,Techint Group Rostowski, Jacek Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Co-Chairman, Council on Foreign Relations; Former Secretary of the Rubin, Robert E. Treasury Rutte, Mark Prime Minister Schieder, Andreas State Secretary of Finance Schmidt, Eric E. Executive Chairman, Google Inc. Member of the Board of Executive Directors, Oesterreichische Scholten, Rudolf Kontrollbank AG Seguro, Antnio Jos Secretary General, Socialist Party Senard, CEO, Michelin Jean-Dominique Group Director General, Confederation of Norwegian Skogen Lund, Kristin Enterprise Slaughter, Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Anne-Marie Princeton Chairman, Goldman Sachs Sutherland, Peter D. International Former Chairman, Taylor, Martin Syngenta AG Thiam, Tidjane Group CEO, Prudential plc Thiel, Peter A. President, Thiel Capital President and CEO, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Thompson, Craig B. Center Partner, AMBROX Capital Topse, Jakob Haldor A/S Minister of Urpilainen, Jutta Finance Vasella, Daniel L. Honorary Chairman, Novartis AG Voser, Peter R. CEO, Royal Dutch Shell plc Wall, Brad Premier of Saskatchewan Wallenberg, Jacob Chairman, Investor AB Distinguished Visiting Fellow, The Hoover Institution, Stanford Warsh, Kevin University Executive Chairman, Loblaw Companies Weston, Galen G. Limited Williams of Crosby, Member, House of Lords Shirley Chief Economics Commentator, The Financial Wolf, Martin H. Times Wolfensohn, James Chairman and CEO, Wolfensohn and D. Company Vice Chairman, Barclays Wright, David plc Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Zoellick, Robert B. Economics Rey, Hlne

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Comments (378)
Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all If it is a private event where are the British police being forced to guard it: why not private security. These are the people who run the world and the pollies do as these people tell them. - Gordon , Tottenham, 11/6/2013 05:13 Click to rate Report abuse Ken's a bloke you could really trust..........as far as you could throw him - Lord Cedric , Fareham, United Kingdom, 11/6/2013 04:47 Click to rate Report abuse So Kenneth it makes it alright for us, plebs to stump up the cash for hosting this private organisation??? Do not forget whom voted you dispicable lot in...2015 is a lot closer than you lot think. We, the people want answers as to what the PM and the Chancellor is doing with these lot as they are supposed to be looking after the interests of Her Majestys subjects. - ineedabailout , londonpavedwithgold, 11/6/2013 04:44 Click to rate Report abuse "conspiracy theorists believe this is where leaders plot world domination." Not as stupid as it sounds, at the very least they wish to dominate world trade and how nations interact with each other, there would be no point in them being in business or politics otherwise! - richard , worcester, 11/6/2013 04:40 Click to rate Report abuse I wouldn'tbelieve him if he was the last prson on earth. Why are they so secretive when everyone else has to suffer governments looking over their Rating 4 Rating 7 Rating 9 Rating 3

shoulder at every opportunity? - antipolitician , UKIP Member, 11/6/2013 04:38 Click to rate Report abuse That's one long list of shapeshifting lizards. - b3ats , Staffs, United Kingdom, 11/6/2013 04:10 Click to rate Report abuse I love it when stories like this appear because then you get the loonies with their outlandish conspiracy theories ranting about stuff that they know is 'true' because they read it on the internet. A good rule of thumb is to take the opposite view of Jones - just Google him to see many examples of how nutty he is! - Chutney, London UK, 11/6/2013 8:53--------Have you even read what is going on in the USA and in the UK. The President has targeted his opponents with the IRS . He has spied on the news media through the Justice Department. He has targeted millions of Internet and phone accounts ALL OVER THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE UK and our Government says it is OK. This is no conspiracy theory, it is a fact. You may want the government and the Elite of the world in YOUR LIFE, but I want them the hell out of mine. - Ruckus , over here, United Kingdom, 11/6/2013 03:53 Click to rate Report abuse The first rule for employment in the legal profession. Be a world class LIAR. - ramblin rose , fertiliser, 11/6/2013 03:38 Click to rate Report abuse Chulney, London. READ DOWN THE PAGE...... You're the ONLY ONE who disagrees with EVERYONE ELSE here. So I guess we're ALL looney and your right? Not on your life. You've got a BIG shock coming if you think that! - Ashenhurst43 , Cheltenham, 11/6/2013 03:32 Click to rate Report abuse Methinks he protests too much. Why should he even get hot under the collar about it? He obviously sees it as important. - ken mist , paris, 11/6/2013 03:31 Click to rate Report abuse Share this comment The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Rating 5 Rating 6 Rating 12 Rating 9 Rating 4 Rating 5

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