Sunak seeks to draw line under Elgin Marbles row

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rishi Sunak has attempted to draw a line under the Elgin Marbles row, a day after accusing the Greek prime minister of grandstanding over the issue. Defending his actions in the Commons on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said: “It was clear that the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss substantive issues for the future, but rather to grandstand and relitigate issues of the past.” On a visit to Guildford on Thursday, Mr Sunak was pushed on whether the subject was worth a diplomatic row – or whether he was just seeking to create a wedge issue with Labour. He added that he would be talking to “dozens of world leaders” at the Cop28 climate summit “about the issues that really matter – international security, supporting Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, tackling illegal migration, or indeed climate change”. “He’s got many, many calls on his time, and prioritising is a very difficult thing to do in Number 10.” He told Sky News Mr Mitsotakis had “his own domestic politics” so “of course he is going to make comments like that”, in relation to his call for the Parthenon Sculptures to be reunited in Athens.