Pressure on BP over its involvement in Russia intensified yesterday as the company was accused in the House of Commons of ‘utterly shameful’ behaviour.

Labour MP Margaret Hodge quoted the words of a key aide to Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky who has accused the oil giant of earning ‘blood money’ via its stake in Russia’s Rosneft.

BP pledged after Russia’s invasion in February that it would sell its 19.75 per cent holding, but still holds the stock.

Stake: BP pledged after Russia's invasion in February that it would sell its 19.75% holding in Rosneft, but still holds the stock

Stake: BP pledged after Russia's invasion in February that it would sell its 19.75% holding in Rosneft, but still holds the stock

Stake: BP pledged after Russia’s invasion in February that it would sell its 19.75% holding in Rosneft, but still holds the stock

Hodge cited figures suggesting the company was in line for £580million in dividends ‘on the back of bumper profits fuelled by the war’ as she tabled a question in the House.

‘Does the minister agree with me that it is utterly shameful that a large publicly listed company profits from the sale of oil that is funding Putin’s war?’ Hodge said.

Treasury minister James Cartlidge said the Government recognised divesting from Russia could be ‘complicated’. 

BP has not received a dividend from Rosneft since announcing it would divest its stake.

#fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle#mobile {display:none} #fiveDealsWidget {display:block; float:left; clear:both; max-width:636px; margin:0; padding:0; line-height:120%; font-size:12px} #fiveDealsWidget div, #fiveDealsWidget a {margin:0; padding:0; line-height:120%; text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif} #fiveDealsWidget .widgetTitleBox {display:block; float:left; width:100%; background-color:#af1e1e; } #fiveDealsWidget .widgetTitle {color:#fff; text-transform: uppercase; font-size:18px; font-weight:bold; margin:6px 10px 4px 10px; } #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {float:left; display:block; width:124px; margin-right:4px; margin-top:5px; background-color: #e3e3e3; min-height:200px;} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {margin-right:0} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle {display:block; margin:10px 5px; color:#000; font-weight:bold} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage img {float:left; display:block; margin:0; padding:0} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {border:1px solid #ccc} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage img {width:100%; height:auto} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemdesc {float:left; display:block; color:#004db3; font-weight:bold; margin:5px;} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemRate {float:left; display:block; color:#000; margin:5px} #fiveDealsWidget .dealFooter {display:block; float:left; width:100%; margin-top:5px; background-color:#e3e3e3 } #fiveDealsWidget .footerText {font-size:10px; margin:10px 10px 10px 10px;} @media (max-width: 635px) { #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {width:19%; margin-right:1%} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {width:20%} } @media (max-width: 560px) { #fiveDealsWidget #desktop {display:none;} #fiveDealsWidget #mobile {display:block!important} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {background-color: #fff; height:auto; min-height:auto} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {border-bottom:1px solid #ececec; margin-bottom:5px; padding-bottom:10px} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {border-bottom:0px solid #ececec; margin-bottom:5px; padding-bottom:0px} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem, #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {width:100%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {float:left; display:inline-block} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {width:35%; margin-right:1%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent {width:63%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle {margin: 0px 5px 5px; font-size:16px} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent .dealItemdesc, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent .dealItemRate {clear:both} }

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk

You May Also Like

Parking tickets: how to challenge paying a fine … and win

As number of tickets issued by private firms in Britain hits record…

A fifth of drivers living in cities across Britain with clean air zones like ULEZ are forced to sell their cars and vans

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expands this week, leaving thousands of…

Funding tips for female start-up founders

Female entrepreneurs can find it a challenge to get funding, particularly when…

Nationwide’s £200 switching bonus saw a record 163,000 customers sign up – with other banks losing out

Nationwide may have spent up to £39million on £200 switching bonuses to…