Parthenon Marbles Ignite Political Storm

Marbles and a Political Storm: The Battle for Britain's Contested Treasures

A political firestorm has erupted regarding the Parthenon marbles' destiny. The controversy was ignited by Liz Truss, a past prime minister, working with a hard-right activist group. They have openly threatened legal action to stop what they termed secret strategies to send the classical sculptures back to Greece. This action has provoked strong criticism from academics and other experts, who have characterized it as a provocation in the culture wars. The move introduces a fresh complication into the already delicate and complex negotiations involving Greece and Britain, positioning the classical artworks at the heart of a modern political conflict.

A New Front in the Culture War

The most recent development in this long-standing disagreement came in the form of a strongly worded letter. Its recipients were Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy, who serves as Culture Secretary, along with the trustees from the British Museum. The letter's signatories, a group that included Liz Truss, claimed a negotiation was happening covertly. They pointed to what they described as a quickening campaign to take the artifacts, which are also known by the name Elgin marbles, away from their London setting. The group insisted on a total halt to any such discussions and threatened legal action to defend the interests of people in Britain, which could include seeking an injunction.

The Campaign Group in Focus

The letter was organized by Great British Pac, a right-leaning lobby organization. The group is fronted by Ben Habib, previously a deputy co-leader for the Reform party, and Claire Bullivant, a Conservative activist. The organization patterns itself after American groups that fund political campaigns. These US entities deploy donated money to conduct influential campaigns that either back or challenge political figures and particular policies. This framework allows them to wield considerable power over public debate and political outcomes, a template this UK-based group seems intent on emulating.

Allegations of Extremism

Great British Pac is now facing intense scrutiny. Hope not Hate, an organisation that campaigns against extremism, alleged that thirteen individuals associated with the group's team were promoting far-right ideologies and online conspiracy theories. One person was said to have circulated content that was both antisemitic and pro-Hitler. Claire Bullivant, in a formal statement, rejected these claims, calling them a "smear campaign." Ben Habib, the organization's chair, indicated that as long as no laws were broken, he was not concerned about past statements made by members, underscoring a dedication to free speech.

Truss's Controversial Intervention

The participation of Liz Truss, who was Britain's shortest-serving prime minister, has attracted significant attention and some ridicule. On social media, she asserted that the famous Parthenon marbles represent a part of "our national culture" and that individuals aiming to weaken it ought to be confronted rather than accommodated. This declaration was met with scorn from some observers, who noted the contradiction in presenting Greek-made statues as fundamentally British. Her involvement, with other personalities like historian David Starkey, indicates a calculated attempt to position the matter as a central fight in a broader culture war.

The Museum's Official Position

Officials at the British Museum have adopted a consistent and diplomatic public front. A representative has verified that talks with Greece are both productive and were continuing. The leadership at the museum is imagining a partnership centered on the Parthenon that could enable a long-term settlement. They have communicated a conviction that a partnership of this nature would establish an appropriate balance. It would permit them to share their most important artifacts with audiences worldwide while preserving the wholeness of the immense collection housed in London. An imminent deal has not been announced.

Greece's Cautious Optimism

In Athens, the prevailing sentiment is one of guarded optimism. Giorgos Gerapetritis, who serves as Greece's foreign minister, conveyed to reporters in the last year his assessment that a resolution was not far off. This statement came after the formal commencement of talks between the museum in Britain and the Greek government in 2021. The recent change in the UK administration has also created hope; the Labour party has signalled it would not obstruct a deal reached between the museum and Greece. This position is a notable shift from that of the prior government.

A 'Reciprocal Loan' on the Table

The potential fix that has surfaced from various reports involves a kind of "reciprocal loan." In such a scenario, these particular sculptures, which are currently in London, would go back to Athens on a long-term loan. As part of the exchange, Greece would provide other priceless ancient artifacts for exhibition in Britain's famous museum, many of which have never before been exhibited in the UK. This forward-thinking cultural collaboration is designed to get around the legal statutes that hinder the ability of the museum in London to permanently give away pieces from its holdings.

Image Credit - Artnet

Sticking Point of Ownership

The main challenge in the ongoing talks continues to be the matter of legal ownership. Greece has always asserted that the artworks were taken illegally and are the rightful property of the Greek people. For this reason, Athens is disinclined to consent to any agreement that is characterized as a "loan," because doing so would tacitly acknowledge the legal title held by the museum in Britain. Meanwhile, the British Museum is legally constrained from giving up ownership. This basic conflict regarding sovereignty represents the central difficulty that diplomats are working to resolve.

An Academic Rebuke

This action from Great British Pac prompted a stern reprimand from academics. Professor Dan Hicks of Oxford's university denounced the group's letter as an exercise in desperate tactics for a culture war. He highlighted the paradox of the organization accusing the museum of secret dealings when the PAC's own financial backing and internal organization are both concerning and non-transparent. Hicks contended that the letter represented an effort to intimidate and create fear, orchestrated by what he described as political actors who were not defined, thereby redirecting attention to the group's own opaqueness.

The Question of Museum Loans

Professor Hicks also drew attention to how commonplace international museum lending is. He observed that for more than a century, lending objects has been a routine aspect of the way museum exhibitions are managed. To prove his argument, he brought up the significant future loan of the renowned Bayeux Tapestry from France, which is due for exhibition at the museum in London. Given this, he proposed that to challenge the legal basis for loaning items from the UK to a country inside the EU would seem a "very odd" and peculiar thing to do.

A Plea for Justice

An expert on the trafficking of illicit antiquities at Ionian University, Christos Tsirogiannis, also spoke out against the letter. He maintained that it is detrimental to the interests of people in Britain and strains the historically close ties between the UK and Greece, two nations that were allies across two world wars. Tsirogiannis emphasized that the duty of securing a just outcome does not rest only with the British Museum's trustees. He was firm that the governments of both Britain and Greece have a shared obligation to arrive at an outcome that is historically just.

Shifting British Public Opinion

In contrast to the uncompromising position of the campaign group, public opinion in Britain seems to be in a state of flux. A YouGov poll conducted recently showed that most of Britain's public is in favour of the repatriation of the Parthenon artworks to Greece. The poll indicated that 53% of adults favoured repatriation, while just 24% were against it. This increasing public support creates another degree of pressure on both the museum in Britain and the government of the UK, hinting that the position taken by the Great British Pac organization might not align with how many ordinary citizens feel.

A History of Contentious Removal

The saga of the marbles started more than two centuries in the past. The British ambassador serving in the Ottoman Empire, Lord Elgin, oversaw the removal of the ancient artifacts from the Acropolis temple in Athens in the period from 1801 to 1815. During that period, Greece was governed by the Ottomans. Elgin stated that he possessed official clearance from the governing authorities to acquire the artworks. Nevertheless, a definitive official paper, or firman, has never been located to verify his claim, which has been a significant point of dispute from the beginning.

Acquisition and a 200-Year Dispute

The government of Britain bought the sculpture collection from Lord Elgin in the year 1816. The pieces were later put into the British Museum's care, and they have been housed there for over two centuries. The acquisition was a subject of debate even then, with prominent individuals like the poet Lord Byron voicing disapproval of the removal. The official argument over the legitimacy of their ownership, however, only gained serious global attention in the 1980s, which is when Greece launched its formal effort to have them permanently returned.

The Major Legal Obstacle

A substantial legal impediment complicates any direct return of the marbles. An Act from 1963 related to the museum in London directly prohibits its trustees from deaccessioning—or permanently giving away—items from its extensive holdings. The law permits such actions only under very restricted conditions, for instance, if an object is a duplicate or has sustained physical harm. This statute means that, unless Parliament changes the law, the museum is not in a legal position to transfer legal title for these particular sculptures back to Greece.

A Potential Legal Workaround

Even with the 1963 Act in place, certain experts propose that a legal avenue for repatriation might be available. The Charities Act of 2022 contains a provision that could conceivably be used to circumvent the older statute. This law grants trustees of charities, a category that includes many museums, the authority to divest themselves of assets if they perceive a "compelling moral obligation" to do so. This clause could provide an alternative pathway for returning the sculptures, should the British Museum's trustees conclude that a powerful ethical justification exists.

Awaiting at the Acropolis Museum

For many years, a key argument against the marbles' return was the assertion that Athens did not have an adequate facility for their housing and preservation. Greece effectively countered this point with the building of a new Acropolis Museum. This facility, which opened in 2009 below the Acropolis, is a modern structure specifically designed to provide a home for these Parthenon artifacts in their complete form. A spacious, glass-enclosed gallery on its highest floor is set aside for the marbles, where the currently held fragments are shown next to empty mounts and plaster models, powerfully highlighting the absence of the pieces located in London.

The 'Slippery Slope' Argument

Opponents of the artifacts' return frequently bring up the "slippery slope" theory. They voice apprehension that sending back the celebrated marbles would establish a risky precedent, potentially leading to a flood of restitution demands that could deplete the holdings of prominent Western museums. Yet, advocates for the return argue that these particular Parthenon sculptures are a singular instance of one cohesive artwork that has been broken apart. Italy's decision to permanently return the 'Fagan Fragment' to Athens in 2022 is frequently presented as a successful model of cooperation that did not set off a flood of new claims.

An Unwritten Final Chapter

The destiny of these celebrated marbles is still uncertain. The journey to a resolution is filled with legal complexities, political influence, and deeply rooted national feelings. Constructive discussions between officials from Greece and the museum in Britain are proceeding, carrying the possibility of a landmark cultural agreement. Still, the loud resistance from political groups in the UK makes it clear that this issue is far from being resolved. The international community looks on as Athens and London work to finally devise a settlement for a disagreement that has now stretched over more than two hundred years.