WHAT SHARE PRICE DO WE PUT ON THE TRUTH?

The most valuable things in life are not to be measured or bought and sold as commodities or luxury goods, we all know this I thought? houses, stocks and shares, land, cars and pension funds can never replace love, friendship, trust, confidence, empathy or faith right?

Wrong I am afraid and BP's response to the oil spill and explosion off the coast of Louisiana on the 20th of April and the muted response of so called World Leaders to act collectively or even unilaterally against the Oil Magnates interests are proof positive if we ever needed any more that the world's capitalist masters have finally dismissed any final sense of doubt or shame  that they felt in treating the earth and all it's inhabitants human and animal as nothing more than collateral damage in their race for greed and avarice. They they should be feeling ashamed at the damage they have inflicted on our planet! they should be throwing whatever money they have at stopping the deadly flow of oil from Transocean's shattered pipeline, but instead they are dealing in spin, deceit and press and government management, before no doubt leaving the public to fund the clean up in higher oil prices at the pump.

"10,5000 barrels a day we are now stopping from leaking out of the pipeline" they told us today, but conveniently failed to mention that twice that amount is leaking out of the pipeline in the first place.

And if we are to believe David Usborne (Independent) and I am inclined to believe him a lot more than the ramblings of BP CEO Tony Hayward, then even the press are being played and lied to. 10 days ago he was at BP's Houston HQ to interview Mr Hayward on BP's "top kill" plan to force mud down into the leaked pipe to reverse the outward flow of black gold spewing from the ruptured pipeline.

Two BP representatives Bob Dudley (MD) and Andrew Gowers (Hayward's spokesman) told Usborne just before noon on the 27th May that "The top kill operation continues" "the fluid right now is going in two directions" In the control room he was told Hayward together with Stephen Chu (US sec of Energy) were personally monitoring progress. "They are both down there now tracking this minute by minute" Usborne bought the line given to him and so did the rest of the press and on American TV the "Top Kill" successes were being praised by none other than Admiral Thad Allen of the US Coast Guard!

Needless to say this good news went down well on Wall Street. In New York BP's shares went up by 6.25% in London the rise was 5.9% on the day.

Only later, much later, did the world learn that "Top Kill" had been stopped the night before Usborne's (and others) visit. No mud was being pumped into the pipeline whatsoever when all the "monitoring" and "right now" action was being reported to the press.

When Usborne challenged Andrew Gowers as to the line he been given and to his statements being wrong and factually incorrect Mr Gowers simple response was "We cannot offer blow by blow commentary on something as difficult and delicate and market sensitive as this"

So there you have it folks in their own words BP's duty to it's investors to protect market value and its overriding concern about cash and stock and paying out dividends are all a higher priority than their commitment to our planet and to the damage caused to the environment off of the Louisiana coastline. And of course all those with investments and pensions invested in BP will be equally torn between what is morally right and what is being done in all our names.

But just where is the International leadership coming from to take on the oil giants? Obama? not so far. Who is going to be the first to challenge BP by asking them how it is they have the technology and investment cash available to drill for oil in such places but seemingly have no cash or technologically advanced system for stopping it? Shouldn't we at least this side of the water join Obama in calling a halt to all deep sea drilling until a solution is available?

The Transocean pipeline is drilling at around 5,000ft below sea level The US Navy has just three subs which can operate at 2,000ft It's nuclear fleet can only operate safely at 950ft without risking its hulls imploding (at 1,450ft) So how are we to stop leaks at 5,000ft below sea level!!

When prices at the pump rise as a result of all this international spin doctoring and press manipulation and over protection of the stock market price in "British Petroleum" (remember when we were proud to use their full title?) Then I wonder what the Cameron/Clegg angle will be?

Will the Tories remind us that market forces must be allowed to find their own levels? Or will the Liberal line be more environmentally tempered? I wonder if the Welsh Farmers and Lorry drivers will be so keen to blockade the oil terminals? and I wonder if by then there will be any Brown Pelicans left in the Gulf of Mexico?

Having been saved once from the brink of extinction I wonder now if they will simply be a casualty of political mud slinging and oil pumping?