Keir Starmer will refuse to give ground on the Elgin Marbles when the Greek PM comes to London
SIR Keir Starmer will refuse to give ground on the Elgin Marbles when the Greek PM comes to London tomorrow.
The PM is expected to tell Kyriakos Mitsotakis that the long-running spat over the historic treasures is not a matter for him.
Mr Mitsotakis is likely to raise the issue of returning the sculptures to Athens from the British Museum where they are currently held.
Ahead of the talks, a Downing Street source said: “There has been no change in our position. The government is not going to get involved.”
It is understood Sir Keir would not intervene if the British Museum agreed a loan deal with the Greek government, but will not proactively lobby for one.
The Elgin Marbles - also known as the Parthanon Sculptures - have been a running sore since being shipped to London by Lord Elgin in the early 19th Century.
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It blew up into a diplomatic dust-up last year when then PM Rishi Sunak refused to meet Mr Mitsotakis after he used a trip to Britain to make fresh demands for their repatriation.
Instead he offered up his deputy Oliver Dowden, who was then snubbed by the Greek premier.