Kemp: BP Must Remain British, Says Whitehall

Ben Moxham, who served as director for policy and regulatory affairs at BP and then vice-president at Riverstone Holdings, the investment firm where former BP chief John Browne is a partner, went on to be the senior adviser on energy and the environment to Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron and Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg between 2011 and 2013.

Browne himself, ennobled in 2001 as a member of the House of Lords, the unelected upper chamber of Britain's parliament, has undertaken a number of high-profile government assignments since stepping down as head of BP in 2007.

Close relations between Whitehall and business, including the exchange of personnel between the civil service and major corporations, are normal in Britain, but no other company has had such close links to the very top of government.

BP is not just another large company listed on the London Stock Exchange that could be taken over by a foreign corporation at the right price. It is part of the establishment.

BP's history is the story of the last days of the British Empire. And with its reinvention after the Iranian crisis in the 1950s, BP has become the flag-bearer for Britain's hopes of remaining a global player in the oil industry, albeit with a much diminished role.

For BP to fall into foreign ownership, and cease to be British Petroleum in fact as well as name, would intensify the establishment's existential angst about Britain's future role in the world and is simply unthinkable.

(Editing by Dale Hudson)


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Randy Breaux  |  May 01, 2015
I would doubt if the American government made it difficult for BP when they acquired Atlantic Richfield, AMOCO, and other major American oil companies in the 90s. I would think making it difficult might have legal implications as well as compliance issues of swaying the acquisition process.
Philippe  |  April 28, 2015
The origin of British Petroleum, today BP, is most interesting. The British were split at the beginning of WWI, with powering the British fleet with steam made from burning coal, or as the German navy had started, burning oil to generate steam. Winston Churchill, the than Lord of the Admiralty, was decisive in switching the British navy to oil. To secure the oil needed to power the British ships the British government acquired majority equity of the Anglo-Persian oil company. Charles Greenway, its managing director, became dedicated to transform Anglo-Persian from an oil producer to an integrated oil company. To that intent, Charles Greenway, purchased from the British government, British Petroleum, one of the largest petroleum distribution network in Briton. British Petroleum was a German company, prior WWI, own by Deutsche Bank the German bank. British Petroleum was used to distribute Rumanian oil. As part of the WWI war reparations, this German company was taken over by the British. The name was owned by Anglo-Persian which became Anglo-Iranian Oil Company but not used. In 1954 The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company changed its name to British Petroleum which it owned since WWI. History is interesting to note that BP original owner was German, not British. For much more detail see “The Prize” by Daniel Yergin, Best read on the history of the OIL business.
Gordon Duncan  |  April 28, 2015
Heard a similar call with keep Scotland as part of Great Britain and we have seen how those empty promises have played out, do you really think that BP whose shareholders are large international conglomerates really care if the price is right. More political propaganda to divert attention from other important issues such as elections, oil prices and Iranian Sanctions
Chris Tadda  |  April 27, 2015
I think BP dodged a bullet from Shell. They took BG Group instead. I also think that Exxon Mobile or, Chevron will look closely at BP for potential takeover.


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