Diamond 'dismayed' over claims

The former Barclays boss Bob Diamond has written to the Treasury Committee chairman saying he is "dismayed" over suggestions by members that he was "less than candid" when he gave evidence last week.

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PM backs up George Osborne over Ed Balls comments

The Prime Minister was asked whether he will call on the Chancellor George Osborne to apologise for allegations he was seen to have made against the Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls over the Libor rate-rigging affair.

He replied that Mr Osborne had said that Mr Balls "had some questions to answer". He continued: "I'm not sure there's anyone in this house who doesn't thing the Shadow Chancellor has some questions to answer".

Treasury Committee calls former Barclays executive

The Treasury Select Committee has called two witnesses to give evidence on the Libor rate-rigging scandal on Monday:

  • Jerry del Missier - former chief operating officer at Barclays
  • Andrew Bailey - head of the Prudential Business Unit, FinancialServices Authority
  • Lord Turner - Executive Chairman, FinancialServices Authority

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Diamond: 'Totally unfair and unfounded' claims

The former Barclays boss Bob Diamond has written a letter to the Treasury Select Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie over claims he misled MPs about regulators' concerns in April over the bank's behaviour.

He wrote:

Having watched the committee's session today I was dismayed that you and some of your fellow committee members appeared to suggest that I was less than candid with the committee last week.

Any such suggestion would be totally unfair and unfounded.

The focus of your concern appears to relate to correspondence between Messrs. Turner [the head of the FSA] and Agius [the Barclays chairman] in April 2012. The questions asked of me, however, concerned the period of promotion in September 2010 and the board meeting I attended in February 2012.

As the letters of April 2012 make clear, those letters followed an April meeting between Messrs. Turner and Agius which I did not attend. I was not asked about the April 2012 meeting nor was I asked about nor shown follow up letter to that April meeting at our session.

[...] The comments made at today's hearing have had a terrible unfair impact upon my reputation, which is of paramount concern to me.

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US Senate banking committee 'concerned' at Barclays rate-rigging scandal

The United States' Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson has expressed his concerns over the manipulation of Libor rates, following the Barclays bank rate-rigging scandal.

I am concerned by the growing allegations of potential widespread manipulation of Libor and similar interbank rates by some financial firms.

At my direction, the Committee staff has begun to schedule bipartisan briefings with relevant parties to learn more about these allegations and related enforcement actions.

It is important that we understand how any manipulation may impact American consumers and the U.S. financial system.

– Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson

FSA: Barclays' 'aggressive' approach to regulation

In a letter sent by FSA chairman Adair Turner to Barclays chairman Marcus Agius on April 10th 2012, the FSA accused the bank of being too 'aggressive'.

"The purpose of my meeting with you was therefore not to focus on any one specific issue which requires remedial action. Rather I wished to bring to your attention our concerns about the cumulative impression created by a pattern of behaviour over the last few years.

"In which Barclays often seems to be seeking to gain advantage through the use of complex structures, or through arguing for regulatory approaches which are at the aggressive end of interpretation of the relevant rules and regulations."

The full letter can be viewed here.

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