June 23, 2011

British Prime Minister does not want the Elgin Marbles returned

Posted at 2:39 pm in Elgin Marbles, Marbles Reunited

More coverage of David Cameron’s rebuttal of Andrew George’s Prime Minister’s Questions on the Parthenon Marbles.

You can watch the video coverage of it on the BBC’s website. The relevant part is 20:40 into the clip.

From:
The Guardian

David Cameron rejects call to return Parthenon marbles to Greece
PM dismisses suggestion by Liberal Democrat that collection of classical Greek marble sculptures should be returned to Athens
Hélène Mulholland, political reporter, Wednesday 22 June 2011 14.50 BST

David Cameron has rejected a call for Britain to “put right a wrong” that dates back just short of two centuries by returning the Parthenon marbles to Greece.

Andrew George, the Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, reopened the issue of the marble sculptures, currently in the British Museum, when he incorporated the Greek financial crisis in a Commons question.

George told Cameron at prime minister’s questions that Britain could do its bit to help Greece by returning the sculptures to Athens.

He made the suggestion after the prime minister reiterated his belief that the European financial mechanism should be used to bail Greece out of its financial problems.

George told Cameron: “Whilst of course we should not be making a unilateral contribution to the Greek bailout, does the prime minister not agree that we have something which would help regenerate the Greek economy and put right a 200-year wrong – and that is to give the marbles back”.

Cameron said he had no intention of allowing Britain to “lose its marbles”. He told MPs: “I’m afraid I don’t agree … the short answer is that we’re not going to lose them.”

From:
This is Cornwall

Cornwall MP Andrew George opens Parthenon marbles debate
Thursday, June 23, 2011

David Cameron has rejected a call from a Westcountry MP for Britain to “put right a wrong” by returning the Parthenon marbles to Greece.

Andrew George, Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, reopened the issue of the marble sculptures, currently in the British Museum, when he incorporated the Greek financial crisis in a Commons question.

Mr George told Mr Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions that Britain could do its bit to help Greece by returning the sculptures to Athens.

He made the suggestion after the prime minister reiterated his belief that the European financial mechanism should be used to bail Greece out of its financial problems.

Mr George told Cameron: “While, of course, we should not be making a unilateral contribution to the Greek bailout, do you not agree that we have something which would help regenerate the Greek economy and put right a 200-year wrong? – and that is to give the marbles back.”

Mr Cameron said he had no intention of allowing Britain to “lose its marbles”.

He replied: “I’m afraid I don’t agree with you. The short answer is that we’re not going to lose them.”

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