The Sainsbury Centre has changed its policy to allow the return of so-called Benin Bronzes, elaborately decorated sculptures taken from the kingdom of Benin, in modern-day Nigeria, during an 1897 military expedition.

It says it will consider what it calls 'deaccessioning' the artefacts "where motivated by sound and comprehensively well-informed reasons".

The Sainsbury Centre has said it could give up some of its collection (Image: Archant)

The new policy, introduced earlier this year, marks a major shift for the museum, which has previously resisted calls to return the items.

However, the move will open it to criticism from those who question the wisdom of returning the items.

David Bick, Reform's candidate to be the first mayor of Norfolk and Suffolk, suggested the Sainsbury Centre was in hock to "woke" activists.

"Artefacts should not go back until there is certainty about what will happen to them," he said.

"If the artefacts legally deserve to be somewhere else then they should be.

"But if it is done for woke reasons then they should not go back. That is the common sense way of looking at it. All of this stuff is decrying our past.

"This country has been a much greater force of good than bad."

He added: "We have a fair proportion of people who live in ivory towers and the art world is particularly known for that.

"The Sainsbury Centre might be swayed by its regular patrons, the sort of people that go there on a regular basis, who would probably agree with them.

“But that does not reflect the rest of the community. There is a stark difference.

David Bick (Image: Breckland Council)

“The people in the Golden Triangle think their views are the same as people who........

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