Barclays Plunges amid New Worries over Bailouts Bill; Man with a Plan: Darling Would Use Taxpayers' Money to Underwrite "Toxic Assets"

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Byline: BILL CONDIE

BARCLAYS' shares tumbled sharply again today as investors ignored chief executive John Varley's attempts to calm the markets.

The bank's stock fell for the ninth day running, losing nearly 18%, or 10.4p, at 48.8p.

The fall came despite an interview last night with Varley in which he declared his confidence that Monday's Government bailout plan would work.

However, he said there was nothing he could do to stop the rot in Barclays' shares, which have lost more than two thirds since 12 January amid fears that it would need to tap the Government for more cash or possibly even be nationalised.

Meanwhile, the Government …