Downing Street insists the return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece is not on the agenda for Keir Starmer’s meeting with the Greek prime minister today. Meanwhile, Number 10 suggests the war in Ukraine will have a negotiated conclusion. And Rachel Reeves faced MPs in the Commons.
Tuesday 3 December 2024 13:39, UK
The Elgin Marbles may not have been on the agenda for Keir Starmer’s meeting with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis today, but they’re front of mind for the one and only Stephen Fry.
He’s long campaigned for the British Museum to return what he calls the Parthenon Marbles, which date back 2,500 years to a temple in Athens.
‘They belong in Athens’
British diplomat Lord Elgin removed the sculptures in the early 19th century and that’s how they got their name over here.
Speaking to Sky News, Fry described him as a “piratical earl” who “probably doesn’t deserve to have his name connected to them”.
The marbles “belong in Athens”, and he insists that would be a win-win for both countries involved.
‘It would be rather classy’
“Pride on both sides will be increased,” he tells Kay Burley.
“Obviously for the Greeks to have the unification of these fantastically sacred pieces, and for Britain our reputation – it will enhance it.
“We’ll be seen to have done something rather classy.”
Keir Starmer has said it’s a matter for the British Museum, and a possible loan has been touted – though critics argue this would end up with the marbles never returning to London.
‘These things are not impossible’
Fry says the idea the museum might “lend” them to Greece is “not an acceptable word”.
“It’s not accepting they belong to Athens and the Greek people.”
But there is precedent to suggest Britain can and should return them eventually, with Fry pointing to a previous act of parliament that saw the Australian constitution returned from the British Museum.
“These things are not impossible,” he says, and he hopes the British government will eventually find a way to get there.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer met his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Number 10 today, to discuss the UK-Greece relationship – and illegal migration.
Downing Street previously said the matter of returning the Elgin Marbles was not “on the agenda”, and it appears this is the case.
A read-out said the prime minister “began by underlining the importance of the UK-Greece relationship and reiterated his ambition for closer working with partners across Europe”.
A Number 10 spokesperson said they discussed collaboration on “trade, investment, education, and defence”.
They also agreed to “double down” on “joint action” to tackle illegal migration, “underlined their unwavering support for Ukraine”, and reiterated the need for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Downing Street has doubled down on the prime minister’s suggestion last night that the war in Ukraine will end with a negotiated settlement, rather than outright military victory.
In a major foreign affairs speech in central London last night, the PM said British policy was to “put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations” with Russia.
Our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn described that as a “significant shift”, seemingly based on expectations that Donald Trump will seek to resolve the conflict quickly once he’s in the White House, rather than continue to offer military aid like Joe Biden has done.
Russian victory will ‘damage’ UK
Asked about Sir Keir Starmer’s remark, his spokesperson said he was making the point that “all wars end in some form of negotiation”.
But it’s “ultimately up to Ukraine” how the conflict ends, they added.
The government stands with Ukraine “until they achieve just peace on their terms” and a Russian victory will “damage” not just European stability but that of the UK as well.
More foreign diplomacy is on the agenda for the prime minister today, while the government also touts new measures to tackle stalking.
Here are the main things you need to know:
Aside from the statement on stalking, we’re also expecting Commons questions about the war in Ukraine, scenes of violent protest in Georgia, and links between UK supermarket supply chains and forced labour in China’s Xinjiang province.
We’ll bring you any notable updates from those as they happen.
Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge is live from 7pm.
Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, has just confirmed he will resign from his post as soon as a successor is in place.
He said he had done so with “deep regret”.
But Mr Davies said a “substantial minority” of his party do not support him and his position is “untenable”.
You can read his lengthy letter of resignation below…
An ancient artefact is back in the news this week – and no, we’re not talking about another Indiana Jones film.
The future of the Elgin Marbles – 2,500-year-old monuments from a decorated Athenian temple – was a talking point around this time last year during the Greek PM’s last UK visit.
There were calls then for the British Museum, which has held them since the early 19th century, to return them – and those have been reignited with Kyriakos Mitsotakis is back in London.
He’s meeting Sir Keir Starmer today – but Number 10 has said returning the marbles is “not on the agenda”.
What are the Elgin Marbles?
They are 17 sculptures which are 2,500 years old.
They were part of a frieze that decorated the Parthenon temple at the Athenian Acropolis, regarded as one of the world’s greatest monuments.
The iconic sculptures are seen as symbols of freedom in Greece, where they are known as the Parthenon Marbles.
How did they end up in Britain?
British diplomat Lord Elgin removed the sculptures from the imposing Parthenon temple in the early 19th century.
At the time, he was the ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which then ruled Greece, and claimed he had been given permission by the Ottomans for the transfer of the marbles.
Despite the vast documentation from that period, there’s no evidence to support his actions – which were divisive at the time.
He sold them to the UK government in 1816 before the marbles were passed into the trusteeship of the British Museum.
When did the dispute begin – and how did it unfold?
The controversy can be traced back to when the marbles first arrived in Britain due to the criticism of their removal.
Then in 1832, Greece gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire before setting about trying to recover the sculptures and other artworks which had been taken from the country.
In the early 1980s, Greek minister for culture Melina Mercouri made it her mission to secure the return of the marbles, and put pressure on the museum and the British government up until her death in 1994.
In 2009, Greece stepped up its campaign for the return of the marbles after opening a museum at the foot of the Acropolis.
Come 2014, human rights barrister Amal Clooney called on Britain to start talks with Greece on the return of the Elgin Marbles.
In 2015, Greece ruled out taking legal action against the UK, but the issue reared its head again in May 2020 when another former feature of the temple’s eastern frieze was returned to Greece from a museum in Italy.
What has been the reaction in the UK?
In 2022, there were calls to make it easier for UK museums to consider returning cultural objects – but these were rejected by the government.
It came after then prime minister Boris Johnson told the Greek premier that the issue was “one for the trustees of the British Museum”.
Then at the beginning of December, George Osborne, the chair of the British Museum, was reported to have been holding secret talks with the Greek prime minister over the possible return of the marbles.
The negotiations between the former chancellor and Kyriakos Mitsotakis have been taking place in London since November 2021, according to Greek daily newspaper Ta Nea.
The Greek PM has called for the sculptures to be transferred on many occasions, even offering to loan other treasures to the British Museum.
What has been said about a possible deal?
Downing Street and the British Museum have repeatedly poured cold water over any hopes of a returns agreement.
Memorably, Rishi Sunak even cancelled a meeting with the Greek PM around this time last year because of the dispute.
Keir Starmer criticised that move at the time and set up a meeting himself, though he also said the marbles were a matter for the Greek government and British Museum.
That remains his position today.
There’s a packed afternoon ahead in the House of Commons, kicking off with Treasury ministers facing questions from MPs now.
After that, we will see:
We’ll bring you any major updates in the Politics Hub.
Sir Keir Starmer has just met the Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Number 10, in talks Downing Street says will not include the Elgin Marbles.
Number 10 says the matter of returning the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece is “not on the agenda” for the meeting.
However, calls are continuing for the British Museum to return the monuments, which were removed by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.
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Did we get a window into the prime minister’s attempt at a close relationship with Donald Trump on Monday when he said we will invest “more deeply than ever” in the special relationship with the US? It comes as Donald Trump announced his pick for US ambassador to the UK.
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Labour has launched more than 60 reviews since entering government less than five months ago.
Analysis by Sky News shows dozens of reviews, consultations and taskforces have been launched to analyse existing strategy in just 149 days.
This means a different appraisal was set up by Sir Keir Starmer’s government every two and a half days since 5 July.
These range from a major Strategic Defence Review – to a probe into potential restrictions on junk food advertising.
The reviews span numerous departments, with six focused on health – such as the Darzi review into the state of the NHS, and analysis into the potential costs of assisted dying legislation.
The Home Office has embarked on seven reviews, including into the prosecution of police officers and how to define “ninja swords”.
Additionally, Labour is undertaking eight reviews related to housing – and six in the Department for Transport.
Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, was asked about the sheer number of reviews set by Labour as Sir Keir prepares to launch new government targets this week.
The minister said his party is “not announcing a review this week”.
He told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “We’re announcing a plan for change.
“We’re announcing what we want to do to get children ready for school, to get NHS waiting lists down, to get more people the chance to have a home of their own and the other things are all set out in the plan.”
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