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Barclays: FSA regulator criticises 'culture of gaming' Barclays: FSA regulator criticises 'culture of gaming'
(about 2 hours later)
A senior banking regulator has told MPs Barclays had a "culture of gaming" that emanated "from the top".A senior banking regulator has told MPs Barclays had a "culture of gaming" that emanated "from the top".
The Financial Services Authority's Andrew Bailey also said former Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond's recent evidence to MPs was "highly selective".The Financial Services Authority's Andrew Bailey also said former Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond's recent evidence to MPs was "highly selective".
Earlier, ex-Barclays executive Jerry del Missier told MPs he was instructed by Mr Diamond to manipulate the bank's Libor interest rate submissions.Earlier, ex-Barclays executive Jerry del Missier told MPs he was instructed by Mr Diamond to manipulate the bank's Libor interest rate submissions.
Barclays has been fined £290m after admitting trying to manipulate Libor.Barclays has been fined £290m after admitting trying to manipulate Libor.
The Treasury Committee has been hearing evidence after it was disclosed Barclays' traders tried to manipulate Libor from 2005 to 2009.The Treasury Committee has been hearing evidence after it was disclosed Barclays' traders tried to manipulate Libor from 2005 to 2009.
Mr Bailey told the committee there had been strong concerns about the investment bank operations at Barclays and its attitude to risk.Mr Bailey told the committee there had been strong concerns about the investment bank operations at Barclays and its attitude to risk.
"There was a culture of gaming. It had to change," said Mr Bailey, adding: "We drew the conclusion that there was a problem with this institution.""There was a culture of gaming. It had to change," said Mr Bailey, adding: "We drew the conclusion that there was a problem with this institution."
He said: "You could not escape the conclusion that the culture of this institution was coming from the top." And when asked if "the top" meant Mr Diamond, Mr Bailey replied "yes".He said: "You could not escape the conclusion that the culture of this institution was coming from the top." And when asked if "the top" meant Mr Diamond, Mr Bailey replied "yes".
'Highly selective''Highly selective'
There had been both face-to-face and written contact with Barclays to express worries among regulators.There had been both face-to-face and written contact with Barclays to express worries among regulators.
Mr Bailey said Mr Diamond's "highly selective" evidence to the committee last week did not reflect "the severity" of the "point we were making" to Barclays.Mr Bailey said Mr Diamond's "highly selective" evidence to the committee last week did not reflect "the severity" of the "point we were making" to Barclays.
His sentiments were echoed by Lord Turner, the FSA's chairman, who told the committee there was a feeling Barclays was "not being totally honest with us about what was going on".His sentiments were echoed by Lord Turner, the FSA's chairman, who told the committee there was a feeling Barclays was "not being totally honest with us about what was going on".
Last week, Mr Diamond told MPs regulators had been happy with the "tone at the top" of the bank.Last week, Mr Diamond told MPs regulators had been happy with the "tone at the top" of the bank.
Mr Diamond's evidence also appeared to differ from Mr del Missier's, who quit as Barclay's chief operating officer.Mr Diamond's evidence also appeared to differ from Mr del Missier's, who quit as Barclay's chief operating officer.
Asked if a 2008 phone call from his former boss was an instruction to cut the Libor rate submissions, Mr del Missier said "yes it was".Asked if a 2008 phone call from his former boss was an instruction to cut the Libor rate submissions, Mr del Missier said "yes it was".
Barclays has said Mr del Missier told his traders to lower Libor following a misunderstanding over an email sent from Mr Diamond.Barclays has said Mr del Missier told his traders to lower Libor following a misunderstanding over an email sent from Mr Diamond.
The email had summarised a call between Mr Diamond and Paul Tucker, deputy governor of the Bank of England.The email had summarised a call between Mr Diamond and Paul Tucker, deputy governor of the Bank of England.
It appeared to suggest the Bank might turn a blind eye if Barclays reduced its high Libor submissions, to avoid appearing under financial stress at the height of the international banking crisis.It appeared to suggest the Bank might turn a blind eye if Barclays reduced its high Libor submissions, to avoid appearing under financial stress at the height of the international banking crisis.
"Mr Tucker stated... it did not always need to be the case that we appeared as high as we have recently," the notes, written by Mr Diamond said."Mr Tucker stated... it did not always need to be the case that we appeared as high as we have recently," the notes, written by Mr Diamond said.
Mr Diamond has said the conversation with Tucker was not an instruction to manipulate Libor, and he did not give such an instruction to Mr del Missier.Mr Diamond has said the conversation with Tucker was not an instruction to manipulate Libor, and he did not give such an instruction to Mr del Missier.
However, Mr del Missier told MPs he acted on the basis of a phone call from Mr Diamond. "It was an instruction, yes," he told the MPs.However, Mr del Missier told MPs he acted on the basis of a phone call from Mr Diamond. "It was an instruction, yes," he told the MPs.
Clear recallClear recall
"I took the action on the basis of the phone call that I had had with Mr Diamond," Mr del Missier said."I took the action on the basis of the phone call that I had had with Mr Diamond," Mr del Missier said.
"He [Bob Diamond] said that he had a conversation with Mr Tucker of the Bank of England, that the Bank of England was getting pressure from Whitehall around Barclays, the health of Barclays as a result of Libor rates and that we should get our Libor rates down and that we should not be outliers."He [Bob Diamond] said that he had a conversation with Mr Tucker of the Bank of England, that the Bank of England was getting pressure from Whitehall around Barclays, the health of Barclays as a result of Libor rates and that we should get our Libor rates down and that we should not be outliers.
"I passed the instruction on to the head of the money market desk... At the time it did not seem an inappropriate action given that this was coming from the Bank of England." Mr del Messier said."I passed the instruction on to the head of the money market desk... At the time it did not seem an inappropriate action given that this was coming from the Bank of England." Mr del Messier said.
Asked how he could have misinterpreted Mr Diamond's conversation, Mr del Missier said: "I can only tell you what I clearly recall from the conversation."Asked how he could have misinterpreted Mr Diamond's conversation, Mr del Missier said: "I can only tell you what I clearly recall from the conversation."
Last week Mr Tucker told the Treasury committee that the last line of Mr Diamond's note "gives the wrong impression".Last week Mr Tucker told the Treasury committee that the last line of Mr Diamond's note "gives the wrong impression".
"We would not suggest anybody did anything wrong," he said, adding that he had not been instructed by anyone in the government to "lean on" Barclays to lower its Libor submissions, Mr Tucker told MPs."We would not suggest anybody did anything wrong," he said, adding that he had not been instructed by anyone in the government to "lean on" Barclays to lower its Libor submissions, Mr Tucker told MPs.
In a separate development MPs agreed on Monday night to set up a parliamentary commission on banking standards to investigate the Libor rigging scandal to report by December.