Sir Keir Starmer will refuse to budge on the Elgin Marbles row when the Greek Prime Minister visits London tomorrow.
The Prime Minister is set to tell his counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis that the dispute over the historic treasures is not a matter for him.
Ahead of the talks, a Downing Street source said: “There has been no change in our position. The government is not going to get involved.”
Minister Alex Norris said discussions on the elgin marbles happen routinely, when pressed on the future of the marbles.
Sir Keir would not intervene if the British Museum agreed a loan deal with the Greek government but he will not proactively lobby for one, it is understood.
A senior governmental source has said Mr Mitsotakis and foreign minister Giorgos Gerapetritis had up to three “private meetings” with trustees of the British Museum and chair George Osborne about returning the Parthenon Sculptures – also known as the Elgin Marbles – this year.
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak cancelled a meeting with Mr Mitsotakis last year and believed the collection should remain in the British Museum.
Sir Keir is thought to be more favourable to a return of the sculptures than his predecessor.
The Parthenon Sculptures are part of a frieze that decorated the ancient Parthenon temple at the Acropolis in Athens.
