Burnham's "about face" on the Parthenon Sculptures: From "return them unconditionally" to "it's a matter for the British Museum"

Burnham had stated in 2023 that the Sculptures should be returned to Greece “unconditionally,” while as early as 2002 he had supported a legislative initiative that would facilitate their transfer. However, speaking to the Financial Times this week, he appeared noticeably more cautious.

“Ultimately, it is a matter for the British Museum, isn’t it?” he said, adding that “legally, that is where the issue lies.”

At the same time, however, he advocated the use of culture as a tool of international diplomacy, declaring himself a staunch supporter of British “cultural diplomacy.”

His current stance is a clear departure from what Burnham advocated before becoming prime minister.

In 2023, when he was mayor of Manchester, he was asked directly whether the chairman of the British Museum, George Osborne, should return the Marbles.

“Yes, George Osborne should return the Elgin Marbles,” he replied.

He later went even further, writing on social media: “Send them back, unconditionally. And let’s use culture to change the way the world sees Britain.”

His support for the return of the Marbles went back even further. In 2002, just a year after his election to the House of Commons, he had co-signed an unsuccessful legislative initiative aimed at facilitating their transfer to Greece.

Burnham’s rise to prime ministership had created expectations in Athens that a politician who had been so categorically in favor of return could contribute to resolving the long-standing dispute.

As the Financial Times points out, the Greek side had closely followed his previous interventions. However, his new position shows that as prime minister he does not intend, at least for the time being, to assume political responsibility for resolving the issue himself.

An official from the British Museum commented characteristically that there is a difference between what someone can say as an MP and what they support when they are prime minister, assessing that the government does not seem willing to spend political capital on this specific issue.