'We can strike a deal to lend Marbles to Athens'

Museum chief Osborne in dig at Sunak for 'not speaking'

- Martyn Brown

GEORGE Osborne insists a deal can be struck to have the Elgin Marbles temporarily returned to Athens despite the ongoing spat between the Government and Greece.

Former Tory Chancellor Mr. Osborne, now chairman of the British Museum trustees, said the disputed pieces could be exchanged for artifacts never before seen in the UK.

Taking a dig at PM Rishi Sunak, he claimed everyone is "very much up for a deal even if the British Government is not speaking to the Greek Prime Minister". It comes weeks after Mr Sunak ditched a planned meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis after accusing him of grandstanding about the return of the ancient Parthenon Sculptures.