London mayor Boris Johnson calling for an end to what he calls "the trashing of a British icon"

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Boris fires back in war of words over BP

Tension is growing between the US and Britain over the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, with London mayor Boris Johnson calling for an end to what he calls "the trashing of a British icon".

Criticism of British oil giant BP has reached fever pitch in the US since the rig exploded more than 50 days ago.

Senior US politicians have recently begun referring to the company as British Petroleum, a name the business has not used since 1998, and president Barack Obama has said he would sack BP's top executive Tony Hayward.

Now outspoken London mayor Boris Johnson has hit back, saying he wants an end to what he says is "anti-British rhetoric".

British prime minister David Cameron says he will raise the issue with Mr Obama in a telephone call this weekend.

Mr Johnson does not deny BP has made monumental mistakes, but he has called for an end to the trashing of an iconic UK company.

"[it] starts to become a matter of national concern if a great British company is being continually beaten up on the international airwaves," he said.

"OK, [it] presided over a catastrophic accident... but ultimately it was an accident that BP I think is paying a very, very heavy price [for] indeed."

That price is easily measured on the London Stock Exchange.

Before oil began spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, BP was Britain's biggest company. It is now worth just half what it was two months ago.

BP makes up 13 per cent of the blue chip FTSE share market index.

In the House of Commons, Labour MP Tom Watson warned of a crisis that risked engulfing millions of British pensioners.

"When one pound in every six pounds in dividends is paid by this company alone, this is now a serious crisis facing millions of pensioners in the UK," he said.

"We need to say to our US allies, [the] world's insatiable appetites for oil is the cause of this, not British pensioners."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/11/2924257.htm?section=world

[Captain Oates 911]

Writing on his website, Lord Tebbit said Mr Obama’s attitude was explicable but ‘despicable’.

‘The whole might of American wealth and technology is displayed as utterly unable to deal with the disastrous spill - so what more natural than a crude, bigoted, xenophobic display of partisan political Presidential petulance against a multinational company?,' he said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1285467/BP-OIL-SPILL-Lord-Tebbit-Boris-Johnson-attack-Obamas-anti-British-rhetoric.html?ITO=1490

I am abstaining in 2012

[alienlovechild 75]

Writing on his website, Lord Tebbit said Mr Obama’s attitude was explicable but ‘despicable’.

‘The whole might of American wealth and technology is displayed as utterly unable to deal with the disastrous spill - so what more natural than a crude, bigoted, xenophobic display of partisan political Presidential petulance against a multinational company?,' he said.

Wonder how happy the English would be if Exxon blew up an oil rig blew up in the North Sea and coated the east coast of the UK? More oil with your fish and chips?

[Heracles 417]

Wonder how happy the English would be if Exxon blew up an oil rig blew up in the North Sea and coated the east coast of the UK? More oil with your fish and chips?

Can you imagine the anti-Americanism rhetoric and hatred that would be printed in European papers? Or the protests against so-called American imperialism / capitalism / profit / destruction of the earth and all of that #######.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Booyah!

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Obama's rhetotic is political (domestically) thats for sure but I haven't actually heard any anti british rhetoric regarding the incident from him. I'm sure he is anti-British from his track record over the past few years but I haven't heard him bashing the UK on this issue. In fact, it makes me wonder why the UK is so closely invested in BP? That sounds more like the real issue / mistake.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Sousuke

[SMOKE 1,426]

boris: GFY!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Obama's rhetotic is political (domestically) thats for sure but I haven't actually heard any anti british rhetoric regarding the incident from him. I'm sure he is anti-British from his track record over the past few years but I haven't heard him bashing the UK on this issue. In fact, it makes me wonder why the UK is so closely invested in BP? That sounds more like the real issue / mistake.

You mean, BP does not stand for Big Petroleum? What is the other 87% of the British economy?

[mawilson 2,133]

Writing on his website, Lord Tebbit said Mr Obama’s attitude was explicable but ‘despicable’.

‘The whole might of American wealth and technology is displayed as utterly unable to deal with the disastrous spill - so what more natural than a crude, bigoted, xenophobic display of partisan political Presidential petulance against a multinational company?,' he said.

The "whole might of American wealth and technology" is not dealing with the spill, BP is.

It is BP that is utterly incompetent and unable to plug the leak, so I only have two words for Lord Tebbit. Piss off.

[Peikko 1,575]

Good old Boris, as relevant as usual. That being said, I do feel for anyone who's pension is tied up in BP shares - you can't really pin any blame on them.

[trillium13 84]

F you, Boris Johnson. I doubt the Brits would be any too happy if it was happening in their waters. BP brought every bit of this on themselves.

Unfortunately it's not only BP "paying the price".