Retiring BP chief in line for £5.3m payment

John Browne, the chief executive of oil giant BP, is in line for a payment of nearly £5.3m (€7.8m) when he retires in July, it emerged today.

Browne, who has come under attack after disasters including the deaths of 15 workers in the 2005 Texas City refinery fire, announced in January that he would step down earlier than originally intended.