No: The sculptures tell the story of Britain and that’s why they belong in the British Museum

First published in City A.M. (The Debate) on 29 November 2023.

It was A Greek, Aristotle, who said that “between friendship and truth, you should always prefer truth”. And the time comes when you must stick to your principles and make unpopular choices. This is not about art; it is about defending the rule of law and the sovereignty of parliament.

A parliament that decided twice, through a Select Committee and then a House of Commons vote (won 82 to 30), that the Elgin Marbles were lawfully acquired. The tireless work of historians worldwide has uncovered plenty of documents and eyewitness testimonies to confirm and prove, beyond reasonable doubt, the marbles are ours.

But even so, can we not just be the bigger person and send them back?

If they were unimportant to us, yes. But in their long history in the British Museum, these sculptures have shaped how we (and the entire Western culture) think about the ancient world, moving away from the neoclassical period’s idealised perfection to the romantics’ rugged realism. Their lasting impact is apparent around London and the country at large; just look at the frieze of the Atheneum Club or the porches of the Church of St Pancras at Euston. A story that must be explained, understood, and preserved; and since it is our story, there is no better place for this work than our British Museum.

The Greeks would want us to give up this part of ourselves to prop up the myth the modern Greek state is in continuity with classical Greece and that they are the sole legitimate inheritors of this legacy, a myth written by the Germans when they took over the kingdom.

I’m sorry, but with Isocrates and Shelley I must tell them once again: “We are all Greeks”, and we are keeping our share.