Summary Box: BP’s Hayward tells UK lawmakers Gulf spill shouldn’t end deepwater drilling

Summary Box: BP’s Hayward defends safety record

DEFENSIVE STANCE: Outgoing BP CEO Tony Hayward testified before a British parliamentary committee, saying he understood anger directed at the energy giant in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. He acknowledged BP had failed to plan adequately to respond to the disaster. But he insisted BP had a strong safety record and was not solely to blame for the disaster.

PERSONAL IMPACT: Hayward said the explosion that killed 11 workers and triggered the spill was “devastating to me personally,” and he insisted that standards on safety and training would improve industrywide.

CONTRAST IN MOOD: Hayward appeared relaxed and confident, unlike at a hearing before a U.S. House committee in June, when he faced angry accusations that he was stonewalling.