Former Barclays boss Jes Staley did not mislead the UK's financial watchdog over his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, Staley's lawyers said on Monday at the start of a London court case in which the former banker seeks to restore his reputation.

Staley is appealing against a UK lifetime ban from senior financial roles over his disclosure of links to the disgraced financier

Jes Staley's lawyers say the pair were never friends but had a "close professional relationship" as he begins a legal fight against a proposed ban from working in the City.