A clutch of internal Foreign Office (FCO) emails lay bare the Government's deepening fears over the damage 16 companies trading with the pariah state could do to Britain's reputation as it struggled to defuse the crisis over Mr Mugabe's "stolen election". But they also demonstrate how ministers were powerless to control the firms, including Barclays, Shell and BP, by persuading them to sign up to a voluntary agreement to uphold human rights in Zimbabwe. The FCO last night confirmed that ministers had failed to thrash out an "optional ethical code" with investors...A spokesman for Barclays said the bank had abided by sanctions against Zimbabwe. He added: "We have been there for the best part of 100 years and a lot of people depend on us, for their food, if nothing else."