It is perhaps a sign of Barclays' wariness about the public furore over so-called "casino banking" that it chose yesterday to announce a business re- organisation that will hand more responsibility to Bob Diamond, the head of its investment banking arm.

While all eyes in the industry were focused on fresh fundraising moves from Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays - which narrowly avoided a government bail-out at the height of the financial crisis - released a new-look structure in which Mr Diamond, who runs Barclays Capital, will take control of an expanded corporate banking business.