'Tony Blair’s Labour government lobbied for a treaty to share the Parthenon marbles with Greece in 2003, accusing the British Museum of “blinkered intransigence” over the contested treasures.

In a letter addressed to Blair in April 2003, Downing Street adviser Sarah Hunter wrote: “There are good reasons for us to . . . both privately and publicly encourage the [British Museum] to find an accommodation over the next 12 months,” according to files released by the UK National Archives.'

More of this article in the Financial Times.

'Blair considered a loan of Parthenon marbles to help the London Olympics bid. The then PM was advised to ‘encourage’ British Museum to agree long-term loan in return for Greek support', headlines the Guardian.

'Other controversies still echo today. “The Marbles could be a powerful bargaining chip in IOC vote-building for a 2012 Olympic bid,” Sarah Hunter, a special adviser, wrote to Blair in April 2003. She explained an ingenious compromise by which the British Museum would lend the Parthenon Sculptures also known as the Elgin Marbles to Greece. Twenty years later, the loan scheme is still being discussed, but in the meantime, London won the Olympics, presumably with the help of Greece’s vote.' Wrote John Rentoul in the Independent

'The files also show the Greek Prime minister Costas Simitis had a few months earlier asked Mr Blair if the British government would return the sculptures to Greece for display in its planned new Acropolis Museum on a 'long-term loan'.

Mr Simitis said doing that in time for the Athens Olympics of 2004 'would be an internationally applauded gesture befitting the Olympic Spirit', and Greece would put aside questions of the marbles' ownership.' States the aricle in the Daily Mail, plus: 'Culture secretary Tessa Jowell was 'reluctant' to make the Marbles an issue for the government and 'resistant to taking the BM on'.