Statement Re Joint Venture

Barclays PLC
08 September 2006


         BARCLAYS BANK PLC AND THOMAS COOK UK LTD TO FORM JOINT VENTURE

Barclays Bank PLC ('Barclays') and Thomas Cook UK Ltd ('Thomas Cook') have today
announced that they have signed a Shareholders' Agreement to form a 50/50 joint
venture to provide a new Thomas Cook credit card and other financial services
products.

The joint venture encompasses Thomas Cook's 600 UK shops serving approximately
3.5 million customers.

Each party has made an initial de minimis capital contribution to the joint
venture. The Shareholders' Agreement is conditional on agreement of the terms of
a Services Agreement to be entered into between Thomas Cook, Barclays and the
joint venture company and on regulatory approvals. This is expected to happen
later this year.

The move underlines Barclays strategy to grow its UK lending business with a
growing contribution from partnership business and follows previous, similar
deals with Sky, Argos and House of Fraser.

                                    - ends -

For further information, please contact:

At Barclays:
Ian Barber
Head of Public Relations, Barclaycard
Tel: [phone]

Mark Merson/James S. Johnson
Investor Relations
Tel: [phone]/2927


About Barclays Bank PLC

Barclays Bank PLC is a major global financial services provider engaged in
retail and commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth
management and investment management services. We are one of the largest
financial services companies in the world by market capitalisation. Operating in
over 60 countries and employing over 118,000 people, we move, lend, invest and
protect money for over 25 million customers and clients worldwide. With over 300
years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays Bank PLC has six major
businesses including Barclaycard.

Barclaycard is one of the leading credit card businesses in Europe and has 11.2
million UK customers and 5.3 million international cards in issue.


FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT

This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section
27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to certain of the
Group's plans and its current goals and expectations relating to its future
financial condition and performance. These forward-looking statements can be
identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current
facts. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as 'aim',
'anticipate', 'target', 'expect', 'estimate', 'intend', 'plan', 'goal',
'believe', or other words of similar meaning. Examples of forward-looking
statements include, among others, statements regarding the Group's future
financial position, income growth, impairment charges, business strategy,
projected levels of growth in the banking and financial markets, projected
costs, estimates of capital expenditures, and plans and objectives for future
operations.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because
they relate to future events and circumstances, including, but not limited to,
the further development of standards and interpretations under IFRS applicable
to past, current and future periods, evolving practices with regard to the
interpretation and application of standards under IFRS, as well as UK domestic
and global economic and business conditions, market related risks such as
changes in interest rates and exchange rates, the policies and actions of
governmental and regulatory authorities, changes in legislation, progress in the
integration of Absa into the Group's business and the achievement of synergy
targets related to Absa, the outcome of pending and future litigation, and the
impact of competition - a number of which factors are beyond the Group's
control. As a result, the Group's actual future results may differ materially
from the plans, goals, and expectations set forth in the Group's forward-looking
statements. Any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Barclays
speak only as of the date they are made. Barclays does not undertake to update
forward-looking statements to reflect any changes in Barclays expectations with
regard thereto or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which
any such statement is based. The reader should, however, consult any additional
disclosures that Barclays has made or may make in documents it has filed or may
file with the SEC.




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