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☆ UK PM Sunak rules out law change for return of Parthenon marbles
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAN DIEGO, March 13 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ruled out changing a law which prohibits the British Museum handing the Parthenon marbles permanently back to Greece. Sunak is unlikely to break with the stances of his two predecessors who were both against any kind of loan of the marbles to Greece. "The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations. "We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it."

☆ Parthenon Marbles return possible without ownership accord, campaigners say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 12 (Reuters) - The return of the British Museum's Parthenon Marbles to Greece is possible even if the two sides cannot come to an agreement over who owns the sculptures, a campaign group working to resolve the long-standing dispute said on Sunday. Greece has asked for others to imitate the Vatican Museums after they agreed this month to return three 2,500-year-old pieces of the Parthenon. London and Athens are in talks over the Parthenon Sculptures held by the British Museum. The Parthenon Project, which has been backed by British politicians from different parties, said the British Museum's Parthenon collection could be returned to Greece under a long-term cultural partnership agreement. That would mean the arrangement sidesteps the requirement for a change in the law to allow the British Museum to dispose of its artefacts.

☆ Parthenon marbles could be seen both in London and Athens, museum chair says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The UK is working on a new arrangement with Greece through which the Parthenon Sculptures could be seen both in London and in Athens, British Museum chair George Osborne said on Thursday, describing it as a win-win situation. Osborne, a former finance minister, reiterated that the museum was having constructive talks with the Greek government about the marbles which have been a source of dispute between the two European countries for centuries. "But I think there is a way forward where these sculptures, the Elgin Marbles, the Parthenon Sculptures, could be seen both in London and in Athens, and that will be a win-win for Greece and for us." "If we wanted to send all the Elgin Marbles back then that would require an act of parliament, and that would be beyond my authority," he said. "But what the museum can do is try and form a new relationship with Greece."

☆ British Museum says in 'constructive' discussions over Parthenon marbles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A man looks at the Parthenon Marbles, a collection of stone objects, inscriptions and sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, on show at the British Museum in London October 16, 2014. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File PhotoLONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The British Museum said on Wednesday it was holding "constructive discussions" with Greece over the Parthenon Sculptures amid renewed speculation that the 2,500-year-old marbles could soon be returned to Athens. "We've said publicly, we're actively seeking a new Parthenon partnership with our friends in Greece and as we enter a new year constructive discussions are ongoing," the British Museum said in a statement. A spokesperson for the Greek government said there had not been any further discussions with British government officials recently, but its request for the return of the sculptures was ongoing. "The government with professionalism and full respect for all the parameters of this issue will continue to pursue the best possible result, aiming at the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures."

☆ 'Golden era' for Britain and China’s relationship is over, UK PM Rishi Sunak says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sunak's comments come shortly after groups of people across China held public demonstrations to protest the country's stringent zero-Covid policy. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the so-called "golden era" of relations with China was over, warning that Beijing's move toward even greater authoritarianism posed a systemic challenge to Britain's values and interests. "Let's be clear, the so-called 'golden era' is over," Sunak said Monday in his first major foreign policy speech. His reference to the "golden era" for the U.K.-China relationship echoed comments made by former U.K. Finance Minister George Osborne in 2015, who had claimed Britain could be China's "best partner in the West." His comments come shortly after public demonstrations were held across China to protest the country's stringent zero-Covid policy.

☆ UK finance minister Hunt sets up expert council to advise him
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Britain's new finance minister Jeremy Hunt said on Monday he was forming an Economic Advisory Council to provide him with "independent expert advice" as he tries to lead the economy out of a crisis of confidence among investors. Hunt said the council would comprise Rupert Harrison, who was a top aide to former finance minister George Osborne, Gertjan Vlieghe and Sushil Wadhwani, who both served on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, and Karen Ward, chief market strategist for EMEA at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Terms of reference published online said the council would have no policy or decision-making powers, members would be chosen and removed by Hunt, and the board's membership and objectives would be subject to a review after six months. "The Council will act as a consultative forum for the government to be advised on UK and international economics and financial markets," the document said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Sachin Ravikumar and William James Writing by William Schomberg, editing by William James and Paul SandleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"It is really not the right time to experiment with fiscal policy," AXA chief economist Gilles Moec said about the UK's moves, assessing that Monday's U-turn may have appeased "the bond vigilantes for now". The term, bond vigilantes, refers to debt investors imposing fiscal discipline on profligate governments by forcing their borrowing costs higher. Ed Yardeni, who coined the bond vigilantes term in the early 1980s, penned a blog post saying "They're Baaaack!" Even U.S. President Joe Biden was speaking the bond vigilante's language at the weekend, noting he wasn't the only one that thought the UK plan was a "mistake". "This is probably the biggest example in practice of the bond vigilantes activity," said Antonio Cavarero, head of investments at Generali Insurance Asset Management.

☆ New UK finance minister faces market verdict after gutting Truss's plans
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Britain's new finance minister Jeremy Hunt faces an early test of his attempt to stem the crisis of confidence in Prime Minister Liz Truss on Monday when the bond market delivers its verdict on his weekend overhaul of her economic programme. No chancellor should seek to do that," Hunt told BBC television in an interview broadcast on Sunday. The Sunday Times reported Hunt would delay by a year a cut to income tax for workers which Truss had promised for April. "MEETING OF MINDS"Any bond market respite is likely to prove fragile before Hunt announces a new budget plan on Oct. 31. The budget will aim to narrow a hole in public finances that the Sunday Times reported is as big as 72 billion pounds ($80.4 billion), including the 45 billion pounds of tax cuts originally planned by Truss, only about 20 billion pounds of which have so far been reversed.

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