Yahia Said of the LSE read out part of a BCC leaflet to emphasise the foolish polarising of the debate between 'oil is good' and 'oil is bad'. He claimed that BTC's local environmental affects could all be mitigated (neglecting to speak of the climatic impacts); I wish I'd stood up and told them what was happening at that moment at the House of Commons re. safety etc.

Roger Higman (FOE) gave a strong presentation which emphasised the rights of indigenous populations in oil-affected areas, and focussed on BTC quite a bit. His powerpoint presentation was a bit heavy on the FOE logos though for my liking.

Graham Baxter, Vice-President Corporate Responsibility - apparently Lord Browne is President of all such departments - gave a no-notes presentation which spoke of previous 'mistakes' and a commitment to do better. In other words, the usual flannel, professionally delivered.

John Vidal didn't make it.

The Chair, Lord Desai, was antagonistic towards any questioner who did not doff his cap to the panel or came across as obviously anti-BP. So I suppose my point that I was part of a group that campaigns against BP's right to exist wasn't the most delicate of openings. (My question was whether they agreed that BP having a Vice-Pres of Corp Responsibility was an insult to affected people and those being hit hardest by climate change. Funnily enough, no one really dealt with it, apart from Baxter saying he was proud of his work.)

Questions were mostly critical of BP's position, though the LSE's position as the heart and soul of neoliberalism meant Higman had to deal with a few hostile ones.

That's it.

A London Rising Tider