Robert Peston on his ITV programme last night, Monday 28 November covered a number of topics from China to the nurses strike, housing and .... the 'Elgin' Marbles. Ed Vaizey and Emily Thornberry were of opposite views with regards to reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.
Christopher Price and Eddie O'Hara would be unhappy that a Labour MP should not 'see' the merits of reuniting the Parthenon Marbles in the superlative Acropolis Museum. Both Labour MPs in their time, Chris and Eddie had visited the new museum in Athens on a number of occassions. Chris was there for the official opening in June 2009, as Vice-Chair of BCRPM with Eleni Cubitt (Founder and Secretary), Professor Anthony Snodgrass (Chair), Dr Christopher Stockdale (who swam for the reunification in 2000 and cycled in 2005), and Marlen Godwin.
BCRPM has written to Emily Thornberry to ask if she would reconsider her stance and review what was being asked for in the context not just of the history of the removal of these sculptures but more importantly looking at cultural heritage today. Not as a means of power but more about understanding the importance of cultural heritage in relation to the Parthenon, which still stands. Understanding Greece, a country whose peerless collection, the surviving Parthenon Marbles were sawn almost in half, at a time when Greece had no voice.
Greece's ask is wholly justified and we do hope that Emily will revisit the plight of these sculptures.
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