T HERE’S a shadowy group who meet in private and, some believe, exert a hidden power on governments around the globe.
If you’re not familiar with the Bilderberg Group then let me inform you.
The group takes its name from the hotel in Holland where they held their first meeting in 1954 in a Europe still crippled by the physical, financial and mental strain of World Ward II.
The aim of the event was to promote Atlanticism – a greater understanding and improved working relationship between the USA and Europe, which at that time was riven by the USSR’s Iron Curtain.
Sixty-one guests, including 11 Americans, met and agreed it to be a jolly good thing and said they would do it again and again.
Over the years the group has swelled and evolved and now features chief executives of multi-national businesses, high ranking politicians (and some on the rise) plus those loveable bankers.
Former British PM Margaret Thatcher, star spangled cigar fan and former US President Bill Clinton, Conservative cabinet minister Ken Clarke and current EU President Herman van Rompuy are all said to have allegedly had their careers mysteriously accelerated by attending the meetings.
It appears their basic remit is to engage in a little long-range thinking about the problems we’ll face in the future and what these huge organisations can do about it.
That’s the theory.
In practice the Bilderberg Group attracts a lot of flak as a global cabal of the very rich and powerful who create policy that suits the rich and powerful away from the bright light of democracy.
There’s all manner of conspiracy theorists who will tell you that evil deeds are afoot as a result of the ‘shadowy’ conferences.
Goalkeeper turned shellsuit-wearing Son of God-turned information pioneer David Icke is particularly keen on ‘exposing’ them.
The group have a very simple way of dealing with the people who believe they’re aliens or tycoons intent on enslaving folk like you and me. They ignore them.
The group write on their website: “Bilderberg is a small, flexible, informal and off-the-record international forum in which different viewpoints can be expressed and mutual understanding enhanced.
“Bilderberg’s only activity is its annual conference. At the meetings, no resolutions are proposed, no votes taken, and no policy statements issued.
“Since 1954, 59 conferences have been held. For each meeting, the names of the participants as well as the agenda are made public and available to the press.”
It’s up to you which one you believe.
But I know which side I come down on – and that’s influenced by the group’s conference this year which is held at the start of June.
I mean, if you were a secret ruler of the world who controlled the levers of government and finance without the need for public scrutiny, would you really want to spend three days in Watford?
