Secret discussions have taken place between George Osborne, the chair of the British Museum, and Greece's prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis over the contested sculptures.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled to his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis that the UK government wouldn’t block a potential deal to hand back the Parthenon sculptures, people familiar with the matter said.

UK law prevents the British Museum from permanently returning the sculptures to Greece. Talks are reportedly underway about a long-term loan, but the government has said it will not change the law to enable their permanent removal.