Barclays issued share capital currently comprises two classes of shares: ordinary shares and Staff Shares. At 31st December 2007 there were 6,600,181,801 ordinary shares in issue (representing 99.99% of the total issued share capital) and 875,000 Staff Shares in issue (representing the remaining 0.01%). The rights attaching to ordinary shares and to Staff Shares are defined in Barclays Articles of Association, which may only be amended by a Special Resolution at a general meeting of shareholders.
On a show of hands at a general meeting every holder of ordinary shares or Staff Shares present in person and entitled to vote has one vote and on a poll, every member present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote has one vote for every ordinary share or Staff Share held. Deadlines for exercising voting rights are set out in Barclays Articles of Association. As at 27th February 2008, Barclays had been notified of the following holdings of voting rights in its issued share capital:
| China Development Bank | |
| (via its subsidiary Upper Chance Group Ltd) | 3.02% |
| Legal & General Group plc | 4.02% |
| Lloyds TSB Group Plc | 5.01% |
Restrictions on the transfer of Barclays shares are set out in Barclays Articles of Association. Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs) operate in connection with certain of Barclays employee share plans (Plans). The Trustees of the EBTs may exercise all rights attaching to the shares in accordance with their fiduciary duties other than as specifically restricted in the relevant Plan documents.
Barclays Articles of Association specify that Directors may be appointed by the existing Directors or by the shareholders in general meeting. The Directors may, if authorised by the shareholders in general meeting, allot Barclays shares and may buy back Barclays own shares.