How to make a GET REST API request to Google Custom Search API in C#

I have created a Google Custom Search which I can successfully call using the JSON/Atom Custom Search API and then load the results from it into a javascript function when I have a script tag within an aspx page:

<script src="https://www.googleapis.com/customsearch/v1?key={my key}&amp;cx={my CX code};q=Shell&amp;callback=hndlr"></script>

However, I am trying to make this GET request within C# and I can't seem to get it to work. I haven't made GET requests before in C# so I'm sure I'm making a basic error somewhere. The code I am trying is below:

System.Net.HttpWebRequest hwb;

String url = "https://www.googleapis.com/customsearch/v1?key={my key}&amp;cx={my cx code}&amp;q=Shell";

    hwb = (System.Net.HttpWebRequest)System.Net.HttpWebRequest.Create(url);

    HttpWebResponse resp = (HttpWebResponse)hwb.GetResponse();

It returns the following error when the GetResponse() call is made on the final line:

"The remote server returned an error: (400) Bad Request."

Any assistance in pointing out where I'm going wrong would be much appreciated - even if it's just to confirm that this particular API can't be used in this way!

Solution

If what you have on the site is exactly what you're trying, replace the & sequences in the URL with just &