THE HOUSE OF LORDS
Lord Wyatt of Weeford:
My Lords, is the Minister aware that it would be dangerous to return the
marbles to Athens because they were under attack by Turkish and Greek fire in
the Parthenon when they were rescued and the volatile Greeks might easily start
hurling bombs around again?
Baroness Strange: Does he [the Minister] agree that, if the principle of returning the Parthenon Marbles were accepted, every single tourist who went abroad might have to return his or her souvenirs bought in good faith?
Lord Boyd Carpenter: My Lords, will the Minister bear in mind that the survival of these lovely creations results from their being taken over by this country and that it is therefore very important that they should stay here?
Lord Strabolgi: My Lords, is my noble friend aware that such a move [to return the Marbles] would be an unwelcome precedent? If we started to return works of art to other countries, there would not be much left in our museums and galleries.
The whole debate, published in Hansard, simply reveals how much ignorance remains on the whole question of the Parthenon Marbles. Perhaps their Lordships should hang up their ermine for five minutes and take a look at our web site!
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