UK rules out law change for permanent return of Parthenon Sculptures

The British Government has ruled out changing the law to allow the permanent return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece, dealing another setback to Athens’ long-running campaign to reunite the ancient masterpieces.

Culture Minister Baroness Twycross confirmed the Government’s position in the House of Lords on Tuesday, November 3, stating that there are no plans to introduce legislation permitting the sculptures to be permanently transferred from the British Museum to Greece.

Her comments come amid renewed debate over the future of the sculptures, following the collapse of negotiations between Athens and the British Museum over a possible agreement.

Read more: British Museum Chairman Optimistic on Parthenon Sculptures Deal

“The government doesn’t have any plans to change the law or introduce legislation to permit the Parthenon sculptures to be returned permanently,” Twycross told peers.

However, she said the Government welcomed discussions between the British Museum and Greek officials over a potential loan arrangement.

British Museum loan remains the preferred option

The British Museum is legally restricted from permanently disposing of objects in its collection under the British Museum Act 1963, with only limited exceptions.

Its chairman, former UK Chancellor George Osborne, has supported the possibility of a long-term arrangement that would allow some of the Parthenon Sculptures to be displayed in Athens while Greek antiquities could be exhibited in London.

Twycross also referred to the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry from France to Britain as a possible model for cultural cooperation.

Greece, however, has consistently rejected any arrangement that would require it to recognise the British Museum’s ownership of the sculptures or effectively borrow parts of its own cultural heritage.

British politicians divided over return

The issue prompted strong interventions from several members of the House of Lords.

Labour peer Baroness Shami Chakrabarti questioned why a loan arrangement should be considered sufficient, arguing that Britain would take a different position if its own national treasures had been taken abroad.

Green Party peer Baroness Jenny Jones also expressed support for Greece’s position, questioning the circumstances under which the sculptures were acquired from the Ottoman authorities.

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Hussein-Ece described the sculptures as an integral part of Greece’s cultural heritage and highlighted the purpose-built Acropolis Museum in Athens, where the missing sections could be reunited with those already in Greece.

However, Conservative peer Viscount Hailsham warned that returning the sculptures could establish an unwelcome precedent for British museums holding artefacts from other countries.

Greece continues campaign for reunification

Greece has sought the return of the Parthenon Sculptures for decades, formally requesting their repatriation in 1983.

The sculptures were removed from the Acropolis in the early 19th century by Thomas Bruce, the seventh Earl of Elgin, while Athens was under Ottoman rule. Their removal and subsequent transfer to Britain remain at the centre of a longstanding dispute.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has repeatedly argued that the sculptures belong together, comparing their division between London and Athens to cutting the Mona Lisa in half.

Athens has increasingly framed its demand as the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures rather than simply their return.

The latest statement from the British Government makes clear that, while discussions over a potential loan remain possible, there is currently no political intention to change the legislation that prevents their permanent return.

For Greece, that leaves the central question unresolved: how can one of the world’s greatest ancient monuments be properly understood while its surviving sculptures remain divided between two countries?

Source: The Independent, November 3, 2026.

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