Campaigners call for end to ‘covert' deal to return Parthenon marbles to Greece
The letter, seen by Sky News, has been reportedly sent to Keir Starmer, the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, and trustees of British Museum.
The letter has been organised by the hard-right campaign group Great British Pac, led by the Conservative activist Claire Bullivant and former Reform deputy co-leader Ben Habib.
It is said to call for an end to any negotiations to return the Parthenon sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, or risk legal challenges.
In the letter, campaigners call out what they allege as a 'covert negotiation', citing an 'accelerating campaign to remove the Elgin marbles from the British Museum'.
The Parthenon, or Elgin, marbles are the ancient Greek sculptures that once decorated the temple on the Acropolis in Athens. They were removed between 1801 and 1815 by Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman empire, who claimed he had permission to take them, although no supporting document has been found. The sculptures were acquired by the British Museum in 1816, but their rightful ownership has been disputed since the 1980s.
Last year, two months after Labour's electoral victory, Giorgos Gerapetritis, the Greek foreign minister, told the Guardian he believed a deal was 'relatively close'. Negotiations between Athens and the British Museum began in 2021.
It has been previously reported that any possible agreement might be underpinned by a cultural partnership between the two countries, with the sculptures returned to Athens and reunited with other pieces currently on display at the Parthenon galleries of the Acropolis Museum in exchange for renowned art works that could take centre stage at rolling exhibitions in London.
Responding to the reports about the Great British Pac letter, Dan Hicks, professor of contemporary archaeology at the University of Oxford, said: 'The accusation of a covert and accelerating campaign appears to be aimed at publicly appointed trustees, whereas in reality it is the structure, funding and identity of Great British Pac that is opaque and concerning.
'Perhaps the signatories could explain who and what exactly this group is and who is paying for it. This letter is a desperate culture-warrior exercise in scaremongering and intimidation developed by undefined political actors.'
He added: 'International loans have been a normal part of the operation of museum exhibitions for more than a century. To give just one example, the British Museum itself will be the recipient of a high-profile loan from France next year when the Bayeux tapestry will be put on display. Many will question why the UK's national museums remain unable to make permanent returns of stolen cultural objects on a case-by-case basis, as other British museums are able to do.
'And some, myself included, have been asking why national museum directors and trustees are not calling for a change in those antiquated 1960s laws. But to call into question the legality of making loans from Britain to an EU nation would be very odd indeed.'
A spokesperson for the British Museum said: '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.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
Another 60 people to be prosecuted for ‘showing support for Palestine Action'
A further 60 people will be prosecuted for 'showing support for the proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action', the Metropolitan Police have said. The force said this follows the arrest of more than 700 people since the group was banned on July 7, including 522 in central London last Saturday. More prosecutions are expected in the coming weeks, and arrangements have been put in place 'that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary', the Met said. Palestine Action was proscribed in July after the group claimed responsibility for damage to jets at RAF Brize Norton and was also linked to allegations of a serious assault on staff and police officers at a business premises in south Gloucestershire, the force said. Last weekend in central London 15,000 people demonstrated peacefully in support of the Palestinian cause with only one arrest, police said, adding that 522 were arrested 'for an illegal show of support for Palestine Action on the same day'. Stephen Parkinson, director of public prosecutions, said: 'The decisions that we have announced today are the first significant numbers to come out of the recent protests, and many more can be expected in the next few weeks. We are ready to make swift decisions in all cases where arrests have been made. 'The public has a democratic right to protest peacefully in this country, and I understand the depth of feeling around the horrific scenes in Gaza. 'However, Palestine Action is now a proscribed terrorist organisation and those who have chosen to break the law will be subject to criminal proceedings under the Terrorism Act. 'When protest conduct crosses the line from lawful activity into criminality, we have a duty to enforce the law. ' People should be clear about the real-life consequences for anyone choosing to support Palestine Action. A terrorism conviction can severely impact your life and career – it can restrict your ability to travel overseas and work in certain professions. 'I urge people to think very carefully about their actions at protests. Anyone who chooses to disobey the law will have to face the consequences.'
Reuters
5 minutes ago
- Reuters
Russian energy export disruptions since start of Ukraine war
Aug 15 (Reuters) - When U.S. President Donald Trump meets Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, one of his bargaining chips to encourage Putin to make progress toward a ceasefire in Ukraine will be to ease U.S. sanctions on Russia's energy industry and exports. Trump has also threatened tougher sanctions if there is no progress. Here is how sanctions have impacted Russian energy exports since the start of the conflict. Russia was the top supplier of natural gas to Europe before the war. Most gas travelled through four pipeline routes: Nord Stream running under the Baltic Sea, the Yamal line crossing Poland, transit via Ukraine, and the Turkstream line. Europe also imports Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). In 2021, total Russian gas imports to the EU totalled 150 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year, or 45% of its total imports, and have fallen to 52 bcm or 19% since, according to the European Commission. While the EU has not imposed sanctions on Russian pipeline gas imports, contract disputes and damage to Nord Stream caused by an explosion, have cut supplies. As part of a fresh round of sanctions announced in July, the European Union has now banned transactions including any provision of goods or services related to Nord Stream, which albeit damaged could be revived as a gas supply route. Transit via Ukraine ended at the end of 2024, leaving just Turkstream as a functioning route for Russian pipeline gas to Europe. The European Commission has also proposed a legally binding ban on EU imports of Russian gas and LNG by the end of 2027, but this has not been passed into legislation yet. The U.S. in 2024 imposed sanctions on companies supporting the development of Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project, which would become Russia's largest plant with an eventual output of 19.8 million metric tons per year. The U.S., UK, and EU all prohibited the import of seaborne crude oil and refined petroleum products from Russia during the first year of the war in Ukraine. In addition to the embargoes, the G7 group of countries (including the US, UK, and EU) imposed a price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil for third countries at $60 per barrel in December 2022, and a cap on fuels the following February. The EU and UK altered the crude price cap level in June 2025 to $47.60, or 15% below the average market price, but the U.S. did not back the move. The price cap aims to reduce Russia's revenues from oil sales by prohibiting shipping, insurance and reinsurance companies from handling tankers carrying crude traded above the cap level. Western powers have also imposed sanctions on more than 440 tankers belonging to the so-called shadow fleet that transports sanctioned oil outside of Western services and the price cap. Russia's leading shipper Sovcomflot is also under sanctions in the West. The U.S. has also sanctioned major Russian oil companies including Gazprom Neft ( opens new tab and Surgutneftegaz ( opens new tab. The measures banning Russian oil imports in the west and restricting Russian oil trade elsewhere have redirected Russian oil flows towards Asia, with China, India, and Turkey emerging as the major buyers for Russian crude. The price cap was meant to keep Russian oil flowing to prevent a spike in global oil prices which would have followed a halt or severe drop in Russian exports. Trump has, however, signalled a change in policy in recent weeks by threatening to impose secondary sanctions on India and China for buying Russian oil to put pressure on Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. The European Union banned imports of Russian coal in 2022, seeing volumes drop from 50 million metric tonnes in 2021 to zero by 2023, according to data from Eurostat.
North Wales Chronicle
14 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Bioethanol plant deems lack of Government support an ‘act of economic self-harm'
Vivergo Fuels, near Hull, warned earlier this year that it was in imminent danger of closure as crisis talks continued with the Government. This followed the end of the 19% tariff on American bioethanol imports as part of the recent UK-US trade deal. On Friday, the Government said: 'This Government will always take decisions in the national interest. 'That's why we negotiated a landmark deal with the US which protected hundreds of thousands of jobs in sectors like auto and aerospace. 'We have worked closely with the companies since June to understand the financial challenges they have faced over the past decade, and have taken the difficult decision not to offer direct funding as it would not provide value for the taxpayer or solve the long-term problems the industry faces. 'We recognise this is a difficult time for the workers and their families and we will work with trade unions, local partners and the companies to support them through this process. 'We also continue to work up proposals that ensure the resilience of our CO2 supply in the long-term in consultation with the sector.' Ben Hackett, managing director of Vivergo Fuels, said: 'The Government's failure to back Vivergo has forced us to cease operations and move to closure immediately. 'This is a flagrant act of economic self-harm that will have far-reaching consequences. 'This is a massive blow to Hull and the Humber. 'We have fought from day one to support our workers and we are truly sorry that this is not the outcome any of us wanted. 'This decision by ministers will have a huge impact on our region and the thousands of livelihoods in the supply chain that rely on Vivergo, from farmers to hauliers and engineers.' Mr Hackett said the industry has faced 'unfair regulations' for years that favoured overseas producers, and the recent US-UK trade deal pushed the sector 'to the point of collapse'. He said: 'We did everything we possibly could to avoid closure, but in the end it was the Government that decided the British bioethanol sector was something that could be traded away with little regard for the impact it would have on ordinary hard-working people. 'We did not go down without a fight and I hope that the noise we generated over the past three months will make the Government think twice before it decides to sign away whole industries as part of future trade negotiations.' A spokesman for Associated British Foods, which owns Vivergo, said: 'It is deeply regrettable that the Government has chosen not to support a key national asset. 'We have been left with no choice but to announce the closure of Vivergo and we have informed our people. 'We have been fighting for months to keep this plant open. 'We initiated and led talks with Government in good faith. We presented a clear plan to restore Vivergo to profitability within two years under policy levers already aligned with the Government's own green industrial strategy.' The spokesman said the Government had 'thrown away billions in potential growth in the Humber and a sovereign capability in clean fuels that had the chance to lead the world'. The bioethanol industry, which also includes the Ensus plant on Teesside, has argued the trade deal, coupled with regulatory constraints, has made it impossible to compete with heavily subsidised American products. Vivergo said the Hull plant, which employs about 160 people, can produce up to 420 million litres of bioethanol from wheat sourced from thousands of UK farms. It has described bioethanol production as 'a key national strategic asset' which helps reduce emissions from petrol and is expected to be a key component in sustainable aircraft fuel in the future. The firm recently signed a £1.25 billion memorandum of understanding with Meld Energy to anchor a 'world-class' sustainable aviation fuel facility at the site. But Meld Energy said earlier this month uncertainly over the bioethanol industry was putting this plan in jeopardy. The Vivergo plant is also the UK's largest single production site for animal feed, and the company says it indirectly supports about 4,000 jobs in the Humber and Lincolnshire region. Vivergo has said it buys more than a million tonnes of British wheat each year from more than 4,000 farms, and has purchased from 12,000 individual farms over the past decade. But it took its last wheat shipment earlier this month. The farmers' union described the imminent closure of the Vivergo plant as a 'huge blow'. NFU combinable crops board chairman Jamie Burrows said: 'Not only is it terrible news for those hundreds of workers who will lose their jobs but also for the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on this supply chain – that includes local farmers who have lost a vital market for their product.' The Ensus plant in Teesside differs from the Vivergo operation because it also produces CO2 as part of the process. Ensus, which is owned by CropEnergies, part of the German firm Sudzucker, is the UK's only large scale manufacturer of CO2, which is used in a wide range of sectors, including in drinks and the nuclear industry. Grant Pearson, chairman of Ensus UK, said on Friday: 'I met with Sarah Jones, the minister for business, today, to receive the Government's response to our request for financial support and the policy changes required to ensure that the Ensus facilities can continue to operate. 'The minister confirmed that they value both our contribution to the UK economy, the jobs we provide and support in the north east of England and in particular our production of biogenic CO2 which is a product of critical national importance. 'They are therefore looking at options to secure an ongoing supply of CO2 from the Ensus facility. 'This is positive news, however it is likely to take time to agree upon and finalise and therefore urgent discussions will be taking place to provide a level of assurance to the Sudzucker and CropEnergies' boards that there is a very high level of confidence that an acceptable long-term arrangement can be reached.'
