Flashermac Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 Senior Tories today warned Barack Obama to back off as billions of pounds were wiped off BP shares in the row over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Mayor Boris Johnson demanded an end to “anti-British rhetoric, buck-passing and name-calling†after days of scathing criticism directed at BP by the President and other US politicians. Former Conservative Party chairman Lord Tebbit branded Mr Obama's conduct “despicableâ€Â. And with the dispute threatening to escalate into a diplomatic row, Mr Johnson also appeared to suggest that David Cameron should step in to defend BP. He spoke as the US onslaught against the firm became a “matter of national concern† especially given its importance to British pensions, which lost much of their value today as BP shares plunged to a 13-year low. Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today whether he thought the Prime Minister should intervene, Mr Johnson said: “Well I do think there is something slightly worrying about the anti-British rhetoric that seems to be permeating from America. Yes I suppose that's right. I would like to see cool heads and a bit of calm reflection about how to deal with this problem rather than endlessly buck-passing and name-calling. “When you consider the huge exposure of British pension funds to BP and its share price, and the vital importance of BP, then I do think it starts to become a matter of national concern if a great UK company is being continually beaten up on the international airwaves. “OK, it has presided over a catastrophic accident which it is trying to remedy but ultimately it cannot be faulted because it was an accident that took place. BP, I think is paying a very, very heavy price indeed.†Downing Street steered clear of criticising Mr Obama's conduct but in an apparent reference to concerns over UK pensions highlighted the “broader impact†of the spill and the need to deal with it swiftly. British business chiefs are alarmed that tough talking by Mr Obama and other US politicians is undermining the battered oil giant. BP's shares fell by 12 per cent at one point today on the London market, after hitting their lowest level since 1997 in New York trading overnight, amid intensifying political attacks in the US. Their price dropped to 345p in early London trading before recovering to 370p  still down five per cent. The slump means the firm's share price has almost halved since the spill started in mid-April, when a well ruptured and the rig exploded, killing 11 workers. Mr Cameron is due to speak to Mr Obama at the weekend over the issue. Among the President's criticisms of BP was his suggestion that chief executive Tony Hayward would have been axed if he had been working for him. BP said its latest effort to capture oil from the leak with a cap was now collecting about 15,000 barrels a day. Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 Boris Johnson is an idiot! No one in the USA is bashing Britain. They are certainly mad as hell at BP. Boris Johnson should also be mad as hell at BP for their piss poor management that doesn't put safe operation above profits. Because BP tried to save 1 mil on drilling costs they will now have to pay out billions. Most USA folks don't even know BP is a British company! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sporty Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Nothing to do with it being a British Company. As, I understand it from the Business channel, more shares of BP are owned in the US, than Britain. Probably more drastic politcal grand standing, if it was a totally US Company. BP, has been anything but truthful, in this tragic event. Starting with the figure, of 5K barrels a day leaking, then 10-12, 12-20 up and up, till now, 40K or more. US Authorities and Obama got made to look like fools, in the US. You would deal differently, with 40K or more than you do with 5k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckwoww Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Maybe somebody is short BP? That might account for some of the figures being thrown around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USVirgin Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Can someone please point out to me this 'anti-British' rhetoric being spewed by Obama, because I've yet to see any reference to him suggesting this is a diplomatic issue (except in response to the accusations), and I can't see him acting any differently were it Chevron or any other MNC. The only common folks over here that I hear these complaints from, about OB bashing our closest ally, are the same misguided FOX news followers who call this catastrophe 'Obama's Katrina.' I wonder if these same folks now want more industry oversight from 'big government.' The only government failure I can see is systemic in that the government largely allows the industry to police itself, and the government is not equipped to step in and clean up the mess. Unlike Katrina where FEMA saw the crisis coming, WAS equipped to take action but did nothing until days after, and had a presidentially appointed incompetent at the helm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allistar Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Maybe one reason that there are so many U.S. shareholders of BP is their acquiring U.S. companies, like Mobile Oil. My families trust ha a considerable amount of Mobile Oil stock, which was replaced with BP stock. Fortunately, I won't be using the trust money for at least 10 years, so, in that time, BP will either go bankrupt or make a come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Boris Johnson is an idiot! No one in the USA is bashing Britain. They are certainly mad as hell at BP. Boris Johnson should also be mad as hell at BP for their piss poor management that doesn't put safe operation above profits. Because BP tried to save 1 mil on drilling costs they will now have to pay out billions. Most USA folks don't even know BP is a British company! Typical misguided and ignorant post. BP were not in charge of drilling operations they had contracted TRANSOCEAN to carry our exploration drillings. Deepwater Horizon was owned and operated by Transocean an American company. BOP (Blow Off Preventor) that failed was manufacured by Cameron International, an Ameican company, installation was in accordance with US Regulations which are piss poor compared to global standards as in not requiring dual BOP's or Remote Operated Emergency Shutdown Valve. Piss Poor US Requlations not management (a BOP is $16 Million) Reason BOP was called into action, failure of "Cementing" Procedure (sealing of exporatory drilling) carried out by Halliburton an American Company, same mistake as made last year on West Atlas in Timor Sea off Australia. So why all the "Finger Pointing" at BP? Probably to deflect from the deficiences in US requlations and the failings of US companies. Transocean have just retained the services of Bill Brewster, an ex-democratic congressman a powerful figure in Washington among politicians linked to the oil industry, as a Lobbyist, and with the mid-term elections coming up BO does not want to go upsetting people in Washinton who's support he requires. And as for clear up operations, when are Union Carbide going to clear up the mess in Bhopal from the 1984 incident that has claimed an estimated 15,000 victims and chemicals are still seeping into the ground some 25+ years later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Maybe Boris should come over and help clean a beach for a few hours under the hot Summer Sun. Is Britain prepared when billions of tarballs wash ashore in the UK later this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USVirgin Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Meanwhile, I wonder if there's enough poly urethane surfboard blank dust in the world for this product to have an impact on the clean-up effort. Looks pretty cool to me, and it's reusable as a volumizer for asphalt: veKjlvI9lRk Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizardKing Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 The only common folks over here that I hear these complaints from, about OB bashing our closest ally, are the same misguided FOX news followers who call this catastrophe 'Obama's Katrina.' I absolutely LOVE this argument, because I get to see wingnut's heads literally explode! You see, they maintain BushCo did nothing wrong during Katrina. So now for the wingnuts to claim that this is Obama's Katrina expressly says that Obama is doing something wrong, which means that BushCo must have done something wrong. The circular logic problem turns the stupid bastards into something like the FemBots in Austin Powers LOL! 4wBlpm0HQ2I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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