IT was pure pantomime.

A bemused Ken Clarke, Minister Without Portfolio, was summoned to answer questions about the Bilderberg summit, a group of powerbrokers drawn from across North America and Europe to a hotel in Watford.

To laughter, old Ken leaned on the despatch box as if leaning against a bar and told MPs: "This is a first for me as I have never answered a question on behalf of a private organisation for which the Government has no responsibility."

Declaring an interest – he is on Bilderberg's organising committee – the MWP explained how those who attended came from the world of politics, academia and journalism to have a private chat about this, that and the future of the planet.

As he rambled on and people's laughter grew, he barked: "Well, I'm trying to guess why on earth people are asking a parliamentary question about this."

The culprit was leftie Michael Meacher, who was annoyed a secret "anti-democratic cabal" had met behind closed doors to determine the future of the capitalist West.

Old Ken, staring Mr Meacher in the eye, quipped that if the Labour MP found "something deeply disturbing in all this, I would only advise he finds different people to exchange tweets with".

Mr M cited some of the terrible types of anti-democrats who had attended Bilderberg.

The Tory frontbench fell about as one of them was none other than Ed Balls, the Shadow Chancellor, sitting a row or two down and smirking broadly.

Mr M insisted the cabal had come together to "concert their plans" for western capitalism and MPs had a duty to hold them to account. So there.

Old Ken, exasperated, pointed out how no decisions could ever be made because of the diverse attendees, who included his old adversary Peter Mandelson.

"This is utter nonsense," declared Old Ken, who insisted the Coalition was, by a street, the most transparent Government he had ever been in.

John Bercow, the Commons Speaker, stood up and upbraided the MWP for referring to Mandy as Peter. "I assume he was referring to no less a figure as Lord Mandelson of Foy."

Old Ken creaked up once more and, in apology, said: "We all attend extremely informally."

To laughter, the Speaker responded: "I had thought that he realised I was gently teasing him."

What fun.