The Brief – Will the UK lose its marbles?

There are whispers that the recent change of government in the UK may result in gains in terms of closer ties with Brussels, not only a softer approach to migration but also in losses – particularly of its marbles.

The Elgin Marbles, more correctly known as the Parthenon Marbles, have been a bone of contention between the UK and Greece since the 7th Earl of Elgin, Thomas Bruce. He did what the British ruling class did best: stripped Ancient Greek sculptures from the Parthenon in the early 1800s and shipped them off to England. 

He then sold them to the British Museum, where they have sat for over 200 years, despite multiple pleas to return them to their rightful home. Elgin claimed he had permission from the Ottoman authorities who ruled Athens at the time, whereas the Greeks and many others insist they were stolen.

More fuel was added to the fire at the start of June, when a Turkish representative at the UNESCO Intergovernmental Commission for the Return of Cultural Property to the Countries of Origin, stated there is no document in existence, legitimising the handing over of the marbles to Elgin, taking the wind out of the sales of the UK’s main argument.

The author of this brief, a Brit, believes that regardless of whether they were taken with the permission of an occupying force or not, they do not belong to the UK and should be returned. As for public opinion in the UK, 64% agree with me.

The issue has arisen many times over the years, but during the reign of former Labour prime minister Tony Blair, it was deemed too much of a thorny issue to touch. Former minister for Europe during those years, Denis McShane, published an op-ed in The Times last week where he said Blair was hesitant to upset the powerful Oxbridge elite, many of whom had a close affinity with ‘the Classics’.

Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock and Jeremy Corbyn also favoured their return. The latter even promised to return them should he be elected—something that sadly never came to be.

The matter also caused waves under 14 years of Tory rule, most recently causing a diplomatic spat between Athens and London.

In 2023, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the BBC that the marbles should be repatriated, causing then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to cancel a meeting with him, sparking public outrage and the trading of barbs between the two leaders.

But at the end of 2023, as it became clearer the Tories were on their way out of the door, whispers increased that a ‘loan’ agreement could be on the cards. It would see the British Museum ‘loan’ the marbles indefinitely to Greece in return for the loan of other priceless artefacts from the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

This was bolstered by reports that then-opposition leader Kier Starmer “would not block a prospective arrangement to return the Parthenon marbles to Athens.”

By February, interim British Museum Director Mark Jones also spoke out in favour of returning the marbles through “mutual loans”. 

Fast-forward to July 2024, and with Labour back in power and Starmer at the helm, the cool-headed, rational lawyer is now feeling the pressure of keeping his word.

McShane writes that George Osborne, chairman of the museum, told him some years ago that the marbles could go home to Greece, only if an agreement was reached in the first weeks of a new Labour government. Now, the clock is ticking.

However, the option of ‘loaning’ is somewhat problematic. While it would be seen as open-ended, Greece does not like the wording, arguing that a ‘loan’ implies they belong to the UK, while the British Museum says it cannot legally relinquish ownership as it acquired them ‘legitimately’. 

Meanwhile, quiet diplomacy has been carried out behind the scenes in the hopes of finding a loophole and it is hoped Greece will accept the ‘loan’, with the quiet understanding that they would never be recalled to London. However, this would still be a bitter pill to swallow in Athens, where there is much political infighting on the issue.

The author of this brief has heard that informal chats took place in Athens with Greek politicians and media to soften their resistance to the wording, but the results remain to be seen. My source tells me that the feeling in Greece is that interest in keeping the marbles in London is waning fast, and it is expected they will be returned home soon “with very little fuss.”

The same author then asked the Greek government whether there had been any discussions before or after the UK general elections, or if any are scheduled in the near future, but no response was received. They were also asked if the ‘loan’ compromise would be considered, but again, they declined to comment.

With a lack of legal arguments and historical evidence to support keeping the marbles, a public that wants to see them sent home, and the need for the UK to strengthen ties with its allies in Europe, there really is no reason for the marbles to remain where they are. All that is needed is a little political will to set the necessary actions in motion, combined with a bit of courage to get the job done.

The UK really should lose its marbles, they will be mad not to.

The Roundup

With two years of economic stagnation and insolvencies on the rise, analysts are divided on how to interpret the current state of the German economy.

Roberta Metsola has been re-elected as president of the European Parliament as she won in the first round of voting with 562 votes at the Parliament’s inaugural plenary sitting in Strasbourg Tuesday (16 July)

In an interview with Euractiv, the outgoing chair of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI), Pascal Canfin, called on lawmakers from the centre-right European People’s Party, who supported farmers’ strikes, to embrace a more ecological approach.

The left-wing parties of the New Popular Front (NFP), whose ad-hoc coalition managed to beat the far-right Rassemblement national (RN) in the snap legislative elections, are now at loggerheads over the name of a new prime minister.

YouTuber-turned-MEP Panayiotou ran an X poll to decide whether he will vote for Ursula von der Leyen.

With two years of economic stagnation and insolvencies on the rise, analysts are divided on how to interpret the current state of the German economy.

Look out for…

• Meeting of the European Political Community in the UK
• European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas participates in the International Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum, in Tripoli, Libya.
• European Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski opens the inaugural meeting of the EU Agri-Food Chain Observatory, in Brussels, Belgium.
• European Commissioner Kadri Simson delivers a keynote speech at the Energy Solutions’ Networking Lunch Event “The future of European energy policy: Challenges and opportunities to address during the new legislative mandate.”
• European Commissioner Helena Dalli meets Member of the European Parliament Evelyn Regner
• European Commissioner Iliana Ivanova meets with Zhivko Todorov, Mayor of the Municipality of Stara Zagora

 [Edited by Rajnish Singh]