Rishi Sunak’s apparent “hissy fit” with Kyriakos Mitsotakis may not have been over the Elgin Marbles – but because the Greek prime minister chose to meet with Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer first, British Museum chair George Osborne has suggested.
The prime minister created an unexpected diplomatic firestorm on Tuesday after abruptly cancelling a meeting in London with his “baffled” Greek counterpart, with Downing Street claiming Mr Mitsotakis had reneged on a promise not to discuss the centuries-old dispute over the Parthenon Sculptures.
Mr Sunak then deepened the row by accusing Mr Mitsotakis of “grandstanding”, as a bemused Sir Keir suggested the PM had “lost his marbles” and was playing “small politics” in a bruising Commons session on Wednesday.
The Labour leader sought to position himself as PM-in-waiting as he used his own meeting with Mr Mitsotakis to taunt Mr Sunak, saying: “I discussed with the Greek prime minister the economy, security, immigration. I also told him we wouldn’t change the law regarding the marbles. It’s not that difficult.”
As Tory MPs cringed at Mr Sunak’s apparent own goal, which saw him plastered across Greek front pages this week, including one carrying the words “f*** you b******”, an alternative explanation was floated by Mr Osborne on Thursday.
The Tory grandee said on his Political Currency podcast that he had heard “various theories” of why Mr Sunak cancelled the meeting, including claims it was intended as a distraction from Tory infighting over migration levels.
“Then you ask the question, is it just petulance? Is it just having a bit of a hissy fit?” said Mr Osborne.
“And, I think if that’s the reason, it’s not because Mitsotakis was going to raise the Elgin Marbles. It’s because he had met Keir Starmer the day before,” he said.
Regardless of his reasoning, the ex-chancellor said Mr Sunak had opened the door to a “pretty devastating line of attack” from Sir Keir, adding: “He should be doubling down on being the serious person who of course meets another European leader when they’re in town to discuss things like Ukraine or the energy crisis or migration, all of which Greece is relevant to.
“It just shows again that they’re not focused on delivering a coherent strategy week after week after week, which is the Conservatives’ only chance of getting back into this political fight.”
Asked whether the former senior Tory was right, Mr Sunak told journalists travelling with him to Dubai for the Cop28: “No, no. I think I’ve said everything I’ve got to say on this in parliament the other day and now I’m focused on delivering for people on the things they care about.”
Mr Sunak sough to brush off suggestions the Labour leader’s meeting with the Greek premier could make him appear more statesmanlike, pointing to his own “fantastic track record” of global diplomacy over the last year.
Greece has long demanded the return of the historic works, which were removed by Lord Elgin from occupied Athens in the early 19th century when he was the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.
As British Museum chair, Mr Osborne has been talking with the Greek government about a potential arrangement which would allow the sculptures to be displayed in Greece.
The 1963 British Museum Act prohibits the removal of objects from the institution’s collection, a position in law that Mr Osborne said would ensure Greece would have to return the sculptures following any exchange.
But he said on Thursday that it was clear from events this week that Mr Sunak’s government would not support an exchange.
The prime minister told reporters: “Our position is very clear – as a matter of law the marbles can’t be returned and we’ve been unequivocal about that.
“I think the British Museum’s website itself says that in order for the loans to happen the recipient needs to acknowledge the lawful ownership of the country that’s lending the things, and I think the Greeks have not suggested that they are in any way shape or form willing to do that.
“Our view and our position on that is crystal clear: the marbles were acquired legally at the time.”
