British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said there are no plans to return the Parthenon sculptures to Greece.
He ruled out changing the law to prevent the British Museum from returning them permanently. It states that the museum can dispose of objects from its collections only in limited cases. In an interview with reporters, writes CNN Greece, the British prime minister stated:
“The UK has taken care of the Elgin marble for generations. Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. We share these treasures with the world and people come to the UK to see them. The British Museum’s collection is protected by law and we have no plans to change that.”
Although decisions about the care and management of specific collections are seen as the prerogative of the British Museum, Downing Street believes that long-term credit is not in the spirit of the government’s position.
Former Treasury Secretary George Osborne, current president of the British Museum, is working on a new deal with Greece that would see sculptures on display in both London and Athens.
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