Wafic Said has been treated appallingly

Our money-laundering laws don’t stop crooked Russians washing dirty money in the London property market. They do, however, seem to stop Barclays Bank offering their services to Wafic Said, a Syrian-born businessman and philanthropist, or to his excellent charity that helps children in benighted parts of the Middle East.

The Bank has leaked that it has closed Mr Said’s charitable, business and personal accounts, not because of wrongdoing on his part, but (it seems) because he has connections with countries Barclays fear harbour money launderers – though Mr Said is having to take them to court to force them to explain their reasoning.

Let me declare an interest: I have known Mr Said for the best part of 25 years and count him among my dearest friends. As well as helping educate and alleviate the suffering of innocent children, he has built a highly successful business school at Oxford and engaged in countless other acts of philanthropy here.

His integrity is absolute: he is as straight as a Roman road. Does the law intend benefactors to Britain to be treated in this outrageous way? If it does not, the Prime Minister had better see it is urgently changed.