About this event:

Suzanne joins James Marriott, Terry Macalister and a wide-ranging panel for this special launch event marking the release of Crude Britannia: How Oil Shaped a Nation, published by Pluto Press, as part of Radical May.

Panelists:

James Marriott of Platform and the co-author of The Oil Road (Verso, 2012) and The Next Gulf (Constable, 2005).

Terry Macalister - ex-Energy Editor of the Guardian.

Gail Bradbrook – co-founder of Extinction Rebellion.

Suzanne Dhaliwal - Climate Justice Campaigner and creative.

Caroline Lucas - Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion.

Jake Molloy – North Sea Trade Union organiser.

Dave Randall – musician (Faithless/Slovo) and author of Sound System The Political Power of Music (Pluto Press, 2017).

The UK is a land shaped by oil. How does that impact its past, present and future?

'This book superbly illustrates how the UK's toxic relationship with oil has defined our politics, our lives and our culture. An engrossing read' - Jon King, Gang of Four

Taking the reader on a journey from North East Scotland, Merseyside and South Wales to the Thames Estuary and London, this is the story of Britain's oil-drenched past, present and future; of a black gold empire built on financial power, political meddling and environmental destruction.

For decades, BP and Shell extracted the minerals, finance and skills of the UK. Working behind the scenes, Big Oil profoundly influenced the country's culture. Then, at the start of the 21st century, the tide seemed to go out - Britain's refineries were quietly closed; the North Sea oilfields declined. Now, while the country goes through the seismic upheavals of Brexit and the climate emergency, many believe the age of oil to be over. But is it?

The authors speak to oil company executives and traders, as well as refinery workers, filmmakers and musicians, activists and politicians, putting real people at the heart of a compelling story.