Secretive Bilderberg Meeting security will cost millions

British taxpayers to pay 'millions' towards secretive Bilderberg meeting
security


Taxpayers are likely to have to pay millions towards the cost of policing
the secretive Bilderberg meeting of the global elite due to gather in
Hertfordshire next week.








The Grove Hotel in Watford. The
town is an unglamorous location for this year's Bilderberg meeting. Photo: The
Grove





By Rowena Mason, Political
correspondent

3:31PM BST 30 May 2013

989 Comments




The clandestine meeting of royalty, prime ministers and business chiefs is
taking place in Britain for the first time since 1998, sparking fears of
"violence and disturbance" by protesters.


The Bilderberg organisers, who include Tory Cabinet minister Ken Clarke, do
not release a guest list but a roll-call of luminaries are expected to descend
on a luxury Watford hotel from June 6, forcing police to step up security.



Hertfordshire police have refused to release the cost of security for the
event, which has previously drawn anti-capitalist demonstrators in other
locations around the world.


However, they are in talks with the Home Office about a grant for "unexpected
or exceptional costs" that is only given out if it threatens the stability of
the force's policing budget. The final bill would have to total more than one
per cent of the police force's overall spend - or about £1.8 million - for the
grant to be successful.


The invitation-only Bilderberg meetings are attended by around 140 members of
the international elite.



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Previous guests are thought to have included Henry Kissinger, David
Rockefeller, Prince Charles, Peter Mandelson, David Cameron and Queen Beatrix of
Holland but the list of attendees is different every year.

The cloak of secrecy surrounding the meetings, which ban journalists from
attending, has fuelled conspiracy theories that so-called Bilderbergers are
planning global domination and world unification.

However, the event is most often likened to a political version of the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, which draws members of high society to
discuss business and the economy.

Its steering commitee includes Mr Clarke, Cabinet minister without portfolio,
Thomas Enders, chief executive of defence company EADS, and Peter Sutherland,
the chairman of Goldman Sachs.

Some activists have decided to hold a Bilderberg Fringe Festival - described
by its organisers as a peaceful weekend of speakers, comedy, music, workshops,
arts and entertainment nearby. However, Dorothy Thornhill, the mayor of Watford,
has raised fears that the summit could also bring "violence."

She told the Watford Observer: “I have my concerns about it because it does
attract people who can and do cause violence and disturbance.

“But I am confident the police will be able to minimise that and give them
their right to protest.

“I am ambivalent about whether this is a good thing. It’s potentially a
positive thing as long as things don’t kick off.

Hertfordshire Police said the Bilderberg Group has agreed to contribute some
of the cost of security, but taxpayers will have to cover the rest of the bill.


The force said it could not yet estimate the cost to the taxpayer of policing
the event or whether it will need to draw on reinforcements from nearby forces.


"The organisers of the event are paying for a private security firm who will
be providing security at the venue," the spokesman said.

"In addition, the organisers have agreed to contribute towards policing costs
relating to the event.

"As we do not disclose the costs of operations prior to their event, we will
not disclose the amounts at this stage."

The last time the Bilderberg Group met in Britain was in Turnberry in
Scotland in 1998. This year's event will be at the Grove Hotel in Watford, which
has been booked out for the duration of the conference from 6th to 9th June.

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Bilderberg Group: David Cameron attends 'private' talks


David Cameron will attend the secretive Bilderberg Group meeting of some of
the world's most powerful politicians and businessmen, Downing Street has
announced.








David Cameron is attending the
Bilderberg Group meeting but will not disclose details of his secret
talks. Photo:
AP





By Tim Ross, Political
Correspondent

12:21PM BST 07 Jun 2013


129 Comments




The three-day event is being held at a luxury hotel near Watford and the
Prime Minister has been invited as head of the host nation’s government, a
Number 10 spokesman said.


However, despite promising to lead “the most open and transparent government
ever”, Mr Cameron will not disclose any details of who he meets on Friday, or
what he discusses while he is there.


It is believed to be the first time that Mr Cameron has attended the
controversial annual gathering of 140 delegates from 21 countries.


A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: “It is a private meeting. He has
been invited as head of the government here.


“The Prime Minister views this as an opportunity to discuss important issues
with senior ministers, business people and academics. He will be discussing a
range of issues. There won’t be a read-out.”



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Mr Cameron has been committed to promoting “transparency” in government and
has made available more information and details of meetings between ministers
and external organisations, the spokesman said.

"The Prime Minister has always been clear about the importance of
transparency. The Prime Minister has meetings with key ministers from other
countries and with business people as part of his job but that doesn't mean that
he's not determined to lead the most transparent government," the spokesman
said.

However, Downing Street is expected to face calls to explain how the meeting
can be regarded as “private” when Mr Cameron is attending in his official
capacity as Prime Minister.

Calls for more details to be given of Mr Cameron’s contacts at the event are
likely to intensify as the guest list also includes George Osborne, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Kenneth Clarke, another senior Tory minister.


The meetings began in 1954 as a forum to bring together the leaders of
Western Europe and the United States to address the threat from the Soviet
Union.

All discussions are held on strictly confidential terms and security at the
meetings is notoriously tight.

Previous gatherings have attracted angry demonstrations and protesters.
Downing St declined to give details over whether taxpayers would pay the bill
for policing the meeting in Hertfordshire.

Ed Balls, the Shadow Chancellor, is also attending, along with Lord
Mandelson, the former Labour Cabinet minister.

Other guests include Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the
International Monetary Fund, Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, and
Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission.