Speech at Mobil UK reception

Mr. Murray, Mr. Lowein, Sir Roy, Your Graces, Ladies and Gentlemen.

First, may I thank you for your words of welcome and for this beautiful painting of Apsley House. As the occupant for the time being of another historic London house, it will give me great pleasure to have in 10 Downing Street this lovely picture of No. 1 London. [end p1]

Second, may I thank you on behalf of your guests for your hospitality this evening and congratulate you on achieving your Centenary.

As well as thanking you for being such marvellous hosts, we should also thank Mobil for being marvellous guests of this country for the last hundred years. [end p2]

It is surprising to think of an international oil company investing here as long as a hundred years ago, well before the age of the motor car had begun to produce a mass demand for oil products.

But a hundred years ago Mobil brought its lubricating oil to Britain and became the first overseas oil company to invest here.

You chose Merseyside—and you have been faithful to Britain and to Merseyside ever since. [end p3]

Of course, a hundred years ago your oil was imported.

Now it is derived from the North Sea, refined at Coryton in Essex, with lubricants blended at Birkenhead, and a substantial proportion of both is exported.

So we thank you for your substantial contribution to Britain's economy over the years—we thank you for your contribution to Britain's life in many other ways including your association with the V & A and your sponsorship of the arts [end p4] and sport and so many aspects of British life; —We thank you for the contribution you are making today to solving the greatest current problem we face—the problem of unemployment; —And we thank you for the marvellous gesture you have announced tonight to support employees' initiatives to improve the lives of the communities in which they live. [end p5]

In all those ways Mobil has shown itself more than just an investor in Britain.

You have entered full-heartedly into our national life and demonstrated in a very practical way your belief that people matter.

We congratulate you on all that has been achieved in your first hundred years in Britain; we thank you for your hospitality tonight; and we offer you our best wishes on the new Century which is now beginning.