Baffled Jess Phillips dismisses Elgin Marbles row in awkward live TV exchange

Jess Phillips dismissed a question on the fate of the Elgin Marbles as Sir Keir Starmer was set to meet his Greek counterpart on Tuesday, 3 December.

The prime Minister will welcome Kyriakos Mitsotakis to No 10, but Downing Street said returning the ancient marbles, also known as the Parthenon Sculptures, is not on the table.

It is the Greek leader’s first official visit to the UK since a quarrel with the previous government over the sculptures; Greece has long maintained that the Elgin Marbles were illegally removed from their place high atop Athens’ acropolis during a period of foreign occupation.

Ms Phillips told Kay Burley: “There’s probably a perfectly sensible solution.., but it’s very rarely raised with me on the doorstep.”