BP chief: Scotland must not 'drift off'
American Bob Dudley wades into
debate, saying Scottish independence would increase his oil company's
costs
BP chief executive Bob Dudley wades into Scotland independence debate
American says breakaway would increase his oil company's costs and he does not want to see Scotland 'drifting away'
BP CEO Bob Dudley. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
Bob Dudley, the chief executive of BP, has become the most senior business leader to step into the increasingly shrill debate about the independence of Scotland saying he did not want to see that country "drifting away".
He insisted this was a personal view but stressed that Aberdeen remained a key centre for his oil group and a breakaway would "undoubtedly add costs for us" in the way of offices and administration.
"It does not seem the right thing to me for the country [Scotland] to drift off. That's not a company view, that's from me," he said at a media briefing in London to discuss BP's annual financial results.
Earlier he had told the BBC: "We have a lot of people in Scotland. We have a lot of investments in Scotland. My personal view is that Great Britain is great and it ought to stay together."
Alistair Darling, head of the Better Together campaign, said that the comments by Dudley, an American national, marked the biggest intervention by a major business so far in the referendum debate.
"I hope that more companies and business leaders speak out over the coming weeks and months. This debate is far too important to be left to politicians alone," he added.
However, the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign dismissed the BP chief's remarks.
"With independence, the continued use of sterling has the overwhelming support of the people of Scotland and the public in the rest of the UK," a spokesman told the BBC.
Despite the downsizing that followed the Deepwater Horizon accident, BP remains one of the UK's largest companies and has huge investments in the North Sea that continue to help drive profits.
The Scottish government believes Scotland is entitled to a 90% geographical share of the North Sea's oil and gas fields but this claim has not been tested and the UK government refuses to confirm this.
Companies in the past that have commented on Scottish independence include the bus and train company, Stagecoach, and the drinks group, Diageo, which makes Johnnie Walker whisky. Both said that a vote to leave the UK by Scotland would make no difference to their businesses.
Mark Carney, the new governor of the Bank of England recently warned of the complications of a "yes" vote but most business leaders have steered clear of passing judgement on such a contentious issue.
COPY http://www.theguardian.com/
He insisted this was a personal view but stressed that Aberdeen remained a key centre for his oil group and a breakaway would "undoubtedly add costs for us" in the way of offices and administration.
"It does not seem the right thing to me for the country [Scotland] to drift off. That's not a company view, that's from me," he said at a media briefing in London to discuss BP's annual financial results.
Earlier he had told the BBC: "We have a lot of people in Scotland. We have a lot of investments in Scotland. My personal view is that Great Britain is great and it ought to stay together."
Alistair Darling, head of the Better Together campaign, said that the comments by Dudley, an American national, marked the biggest intervention by a major business so far in the referendum debate.
"I hope that more companies and business leaders speak out over the coming weeks and months. This debate is far too important to be left to politicians alone," he added.
However, the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign dismissed the BP chief's remarks.
"With independence, the continued use of sterling has the overwhelming support of the people of Scotland and the public in the rest of the UK," a spokesman told the BBC.
Despite the downsizing that followed the Deepwater Horizon accident, BP remains one of the UK's largest companies and has huge investments in the North Sea that continue to help drive profits.
The Scottish government believes Scotland is entitled to a 90% geographical share of the North Sea's oil and gas fields but this claim has not been tested and the UK government refuses to confirm this.
Companies in the past that have commented on Scottish independence include the bus and train company, Stagecoach, and the drinks group, Diageo, which makes Johnnie Walker whisky. Both said that a vote to leave the UK by Scotland would make no difference to their businesses.
Mark Carney, the new governor of the Bank of England recently warned of the complications of a "yes" vote but most business leaders have steered clear of passing judgement on such a contentious issue.
COPY http://www.theguardian.com/
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