POLL OF THE DAY: Should the Elgin Marbles be returned to Greece? - YOUR VERDICT

The Greek PM will likely receive a much warmer reception than last year, when then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled a meeting with Mitsotakis at the last minute.

Whilst No10 has said that Starmer will not change legislation from 1963 that stops the British Museum from handing over the marbles, officials say the PM could be open to a loan deal.

“We are open to whatever is agreed,” said one ally of Starmer, according to The Financial Times. “It’s right to say there is no strong view on what should happen.”

In a recent interview with Greece's public broadcaster ERT, Nikolaos Stambolidis, the general director of the Acropolis Museum, claimed there was growing international support for the repatriation of the ancient artefacts.

He cited the Unesco decision regarding the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures in September 2021 as a crucial turning point.

Stambolidis stressed that the reunification is not just a Greek request, but a global demand including unexpected support from countries such as Turkey.

The ongoing debate over the Parthenon Sculptures has led to diplomatic tensions between Greece and the UK.

Late last year, a major diplomatic incident occurred involving Sunak and his Greek counterpart Mitsotakis after saying he was unwilling to budge on a potential return.

Sunak's spokesman told reporters last November: "We have a long-standing position, I think the Prime Minister's on the record that the Parthenon Sculptures in the British Museum were legally acquired under the laws at the time. They're legally owned by the trustees of the British Museum."

"We fully support this position, indeed the British Museum Act prohibits the removal of objects from the museum's collection. We have no plans to change the law."

The Acropolis Museum's success in attracting visitors has bolstered Greece's case with visitor numbers leaping from 1.5 million in 2022 to 1.95 million in 2023.

Legal and ethical arguments continue to form the backbone of Greece's position. Stambolidis noted that international law does not support retaining illegally acquired artefacts, regardless of time passed since removal.

In the exclusive poll for GB News membership readers, a majority (71 per cent) of the 1,050 voters think Churchill was our greatest Briton, whilst 29 per cent disagreed.