Emily Gosden: Tony Hayward Accused of 'lying' over Gulf Spill!

Tony Hayward, the former chief executive of BP, has been accused of giving untruthful evidence to US Congress, by plaintiffs suing for damages over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. In court filings, lawyers argue that Mr Hayward "at best, has a unique view of the truth", citing his congressional testimony from June 2010, in which they claim he was untruthful over the the scope of BP's internal investigation into the disaster. The allegations were made in response to BP's attempts to preclude parts of Mr Hayward's deposition, when he was questioned by the plaintiff's lawyers in preparation for the court case, from being used in evidence at the trial on the grounds that he was asked "improper questions". In a 'motion in limine', BP's lawyers argue that Mr Hayward faced "questions posed in bad faith or aimed at unreasonably annoying, embarrassing, or oppressing the deponent and queries seeking opinions and conclusions about BP's legal responsibilities". Lawyers for the claimants responded with the allegations that Mr Hayward had been untruthful before Congress, claiming it was therefore "proper to question his veracity". BP said some of the issues raised in the deposition had been consistent with official investigations. Mr Hayward declined to comment.