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Former premier curate Liz Truss, historiographer Dr David Starkey and Sir John Redwood are among 34 signatories to a missive alleging the British Museum is portion of a "covert" and "accelerating campaign" to instrumentality the Elgin Marbles to Greece.
The letter, seen exclusively by Sky News, which was sent to Sir Keir Starmer, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and trustees of British Museum, says "reform volition beryllium necessary".
It says that immoderate British Museum "trustees whitethorn request to see their position" and calls for an extremity to immoderate negotiations to instrumentality the Elgin Marbles, besides known arsenic the Parthenon Sculptures, oregon hazard ineligible challenges.
In the letter, campaigners telephone retired what they spot arsenic "covert negotiation", citing an "accelerating run to region the Elgin Marbles from the British Museum".
They pass that they "reserve the close to question ineligible proposal connected however champion to support the interests of the British public" including "pursuing an injunction to halt immoderate ongoing oregon aboriginal negotiations until the beneficiaries [the British public] person been afloat informed".
The missive has been organised by the right-wing run radical Great British PAC, led by Conservative activistic Claire Bullivant and erstwhile Reform lawman co-leader Ben Habib.
The British Museum Act 1963 prevents treasures similar the Marbles from being legally fixed distant by the museum.
A authorities spokesperson said determination are "no plans to alteration the instrumentality that would licence a imperishable determination of the Parthenon Sculptures".
The spokesperson added that decisions relating to the attraction and absorption of the museum's collections, including loaning objects, "are a substance for the trustees of the British Museum".
It is understood the authorities has not been asked to see a petition related to the indebtedness of the Elgin Marbles.
Speaking astatine a Westminster Hall statement connected the instrumentality of the artefacts successful May, civilization curate Chris Bryant said: "We person nary volition to alteration the law."
He added: "Under existing law, it would beryllium intolerable for determination to beryllium a imperishable oregon indefinite loan."
Back successful December, British Museum seat and erstwhile chancellor George Osborne told the Political Currency podcast that a woody to instrumentality the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece is "still immoderate distance" away.
Mr Osborne has been contacted for a comment.
A spokesperson for the British Museum said: "Discussions with Greece astir a Parthenon Partnership are on-going and constructive.
"We judge that this benignant of semipermanent concern would onslaught the close equilibrium betwixt sharing our top objects with audiences astir the world, and maintaining the integrity of the unthinkable postulation we clasp astatine the museum."
The Parthenon Project, which includes supporters specified arsenic Stephen Fry and Lord Ed Vaizey connected its board, campaigns for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures and was cited successful the missive arsenic "lavishly funded by a overseas industrialist".
The lobbying group's website lists Greek plastics magnate John Lefas and household arsenic the leaders and cardinal financiers of the organisation, and that it aims for a "win-win solution" for some Greece and Britain.
Read much from Sky News:
How did Elgin Marbles extremity up successful UK?
Marbles are 'matter for British Museum'
British diplomat Lord Elgin removed the sculptures successful the aboriginal 19th period portion helium was the ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which past ruled Greece.
Lord Elgin claimed helium had been fixed support by the Ottoman Empire for the transportation of the sculptures and sold them to the UK authorities successful 1816, earlier the marbles were passed into the trusteeship of the British Museum.
Turkey disputes that support was ever given, and typical Dr Zeynep Boz supported Greece publically successful 2024 astatine the United Nations Return & Restitution Intergovernmental Committee (ICPRCP).
UK agrees woody connected Bayeux Tapestry
The latest outburst implicit the Elgin Marbles comes arsenic the Bayeux Tapestry indebtedness woody with France has been agreed.
The historical depiction of the Battle of Hastings and the sidesplitting of King Harold volition beryllium backmost successful Britain for the archetypal clip successful 900 years from September 2026 to July 2027.
This diplomatic triumph could awesome that the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures is imaginable and that determination could beryllium reasons for the signatories to question ineligible enactment yet.
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