Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond has resigned with immediate effect. Mr Diamond said he was stepping down because the external pressure on Barclays risked damaging the franchise. The move follows the resignation of Chairman Marcus Agius yesterday; and comes less than a week after the bank was fined a record amount for trying to manipulate inter-bank lending rates. Mr Diamond, in a statement, said he was stepping down because the external pressure on Barclays risked damaging the franchise. He will still appear before MPs on the Treasury Committee tomorrow