Unlock Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, editor of the FT, picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Rishi Sunak has delivered a snub to his Greek counterpart in a dispute over the future of the so-called Elgin Marbles, in a potential setback to carefully choreographed negotiations over the fate of the 2,500-year-old sculptures.
Downing Street told Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday evening that the British prime minister would no longer meet him at Number 10 on Tuesday – an event that had already been announced by the Greek prime minister’s office.
A senior Conservative source said the meeting was canceled due to “comments” made in advance of the event. At the start of his London visit, Mitsotakis told the BBC that the frieze in London was like “cutting the Mona Lisa in half.”
Mitsotakis, who has publicly called for the entire frieze to be returned to Athens since taking office five years ago, reacted strongly to the snub. Sunak had suggested perhaps meeting Oliver Dowden, Britain’s deputy prime minister, instead.
“I express my displeasure that the British Prime Minister canceled our planned meeting just a few hours before its scheduled date,” the Greek leader said wrote on the social media site X.
“Those who believe in the correctness and justice of their positions are not afraid of counterarguments.”
Among the plans being discussed between Athens and the British Museum is a possible “loan agreement” that could result in some of the sculptures being sent to the Acropolis Museum for a longer period of time.
Recommended
Sunak wants to present himself as a defender of the Parthenon sculptures on display at the British Museum while portraying Sir Keir Starmer, the opposition Labor leader, as someone prepared to abandon them.
The Financial Times revealed last week that Starmer would not stand in the way of such a deal if he became prime minister and it was acceptable to both sides. Starmer continued the Mitsotakis meeting on Monday. Post a picture of them shaking hands on X
Referring to the planned meeting between Sunak and Mitsotakis, a senior Conservative source said: “It became impossible to go ahead with this meeting following previous comments made about the Elgin Marbles.”
“Our position is clear: the Elgin Marbles are part of the permanent collection of the British Museum and belong here. It is reckless for a British politician to claim that this is subject to negotiation.”
According to Greek officials, the meeting between the two prime ministers was arranged without a press conference, which could have led to questions about the Parthenon marbles. The focus of the planned discussion between the two leaders should be on migration issues and not on the controversial sculptures.
Downing Street said the meeting had not been confirmed. Mitsotakis also did not meet Sunak when he visited London last year.
The issue of returning the Parthenon Marbles was between the British Museum and Athens, a Greek official said, and it was agreed that the cancellation of the meeting was due to internal British politics.
Some senior Tories believe the snub was sparked by Sunak being upset that the Greek prime minister had decided to meet first with Starmer, who is seen as the favorite to win Britain’s next election.
One said: “I bet what really upset Sunak was the Greek PM meeting Starmer. He’ll have to get used to it.”
Sunak has previously tried to portray Starmer as a “woke” politician, arguing that the Labor leader would be “reckless” for even considering a deal with the Parthenon sculptures.
George Osborne, a former Tory chancellor and chairman of the British Museum, has tried to negotiate an innovative loan deal with Mitsotakis that would see part of the frieze loaned to the Acropolis Museum in Athens.
In return, some Greek treasures would be sent on loan to the museum in Bloomsbury in central London. Over time, various parts of the sculpture were exhibited in Greece.
“I hope that we can find a way to work with Greece so that some of the Marbles will spend some of their time in Athens.” . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” Osborne wrote in the Spectator earlier this month.
A 1963 Act of Parliament prevents the British Museum from permanently returning the sculptures. Sunak’s government has said it will not change the legislation, as has Starmer.
But the Labor leader’s allies say he is prepared to be flexible. “We are abiding by the existing law, but if a loan agreement can be agreed that is mutually acceptable to the British Museum and the Greek government, we will not stand in the way,” said a person close to Starmer.
The Labor leader met Mitsotakis on Monday when the issue was discussed. “It was not the focus of the meeting,” said a Starmer ally, who said this was a matter for the British Museum and Athens.
A Labor spokesman said: “If the British prime minister fails to meet with a European ally with whom Britain has important economic ties, it will be further evidence of his inability to provide serious leadership that our country needs.”