THE Serious Fraud Office (SFO) charged Barclays Bank today over a £2.2 billion loan it provided to Qatar as part of its emergency fundraising during the financial crash of 2008.

It extends a charge brought against parent firm Barclays plc for “unlawful financial assistance” last June.

At the time, the SFO had not decided whether to charge the bank unit over the loan as well, but has now charged it with the same offence.