A letter, exclusively obtained by Sky News, suggests legal action could be taken to prevent the UK government and The British Museum from future talks for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
Among the 34 signatories of the letter are former Prime Minister Liz Truss, MPs, and prominent historians, according to Sky News.
When at Number 10, Truss rejected suggestions that an agreement can be made with Greece over the sharing of the Parthenon Sculptures. When asked about a possible deal, Truss told the TV and radio channel GB News: “I don’t support that.”
The letter, sent to PM Keir Starmer, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, and trustees of the British Museum, alleges that the British Museum is part of a “covert” and “accelerating campaign” to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
Some British Museum “trustees may need to consider their position,” the letter claims, calling for an end to any negotiations in returning the Marbles, also known in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, or risk legal challenges.
Signatories see a “covert negotiation” with Greece over the Parthenon Sculptures
In the letter, campaigners call out what they see as “covert negotiation,” citing an “accelerating campaign to remove the Elgin Marbles from the British Museum.”
They warn that they “reserve the right to seek legal advice on how best to protect the interests of the British public,” including “pursuing an injunction to halt any ongoing or future negotiations until the beneficiaries [the British public] have been fully informed.”
Sky News reported that the letter has been organized by the right-wing campaign group Great British PAC.
The British Museum Act 1963 prevents treasures like the Marbles from being legally given away by the museum. A government spokesperson said there are “no plans to change the law that would permit a permanent move of the Parthenon Sculptures.”
The spokesperson added that decisions related to the care and management of the museum’s collections, including loaning objects, “are a matter for the trustees of the British Museum.”
Speaking at a debate on the return of the artifacts in May, Culture Minister Chris Bryant said: “We have no intention to change the law.” He added: “Under existing law, it would be impossible for there to be a permanent or indefinite loan.”
British Museum insists talks with Greece over Parthenon Marbles are in progress
Last December, British Museum Chair and former Chancellor George Osborne said that a deal to return the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece is “still some distance” away.
A spokesperson for the British Museum told Sky News:
“Discussions with Greece about a Parthenon Partnership are ongoing and constructive. We believe that this kind of long-term partnership would strike the right balance between sharing our greatest objects with audiences around the world and maintaining the integrity of the incredible collection we hold at the museum.”
Last month The Times reported Osborne, is negotiating over a deal that would return the Μarbles to Athens on a long-term basis. As part of the deal, Athens would provide the museum with ancient Greek artifacts, many of which have never been seen in the UK.
However, the British Museum would not give up its legal ownership of the sculptures, which would require a change in the law. This is a major stumbling block, as Athens insists that the Parthenon Marbles belong to Greece.
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