The new British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, “is expected to hand over the Parthenon Sculptures in his latest effort to curry favor with the European Union,” British newspaper “Express” reports today.
Starmer, 61, who was elected on July 5 with the Labour Party, has publicly expressed a more positive stance on the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece compared to his predecessor, Rishi Sunak.
In fact, both the Labour Party and Keir Starmer himself have maintained that they do not intend to block a loan agreement for the Sculptures between the two countries. However, there is no intention to amend British law, which prohibits the transfer of ownership of items held by the British Museum (British Museum Act 1963).
According to the British newspaper Daily Mail, Starmer has shown a more “relaxed” attitude towards the Elgin Marbles in an effort to restore close ties with the European Union. He is particularly looking towards an agreement for a “long-term loan of the Sculptures to Greece.”
This viewpoint is reflected in a statement by the new British Culture Minister, Chris Bryant, who said:
“Decisions regarding the care and management of the British Museum’s collections, including the loaning of items from the collections, are made by the museum’s board of trustees, in accordance with the British Museum Act of 1963. The museum operates independently from the government. We know that the head of the board, George Osborne, has had discussions with Greek ministers on this issue, seeking a productive collaboration. We appreciate the work the British Museum is doing on international loans and welcome the success of collaborations between the British Museum, the V&A Museum, and the Manhyia Palace Museum in Ghana.”
On the other hand, the British Culture Minister emphasized that “the Parthenon Sculptures were acquired legally and remain the lawful property of the British Museum.”
From his side, the chairman of the board, Osborne, has been pressuring the British government for years to agree to a multi-year loan of the marbles to Greece and has publicly stated that “a deal can be made.”
The issue of the Parthenon Sculptures has been a topic of public debate for centuries, with tensions peaking in 2023 when Sunak openly declared that the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures had been resolved long ago and canceled a meeting with Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the last minute.
Certainly, a long-term loan is not the ideal solution for Greece, but it could be the first step towards the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to their homeland.
