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| Lord Northampton to get £6m from Egyptian Sekhemka sale | Lord Northampton to get £6m from Egyptian Sekhemka sale |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A peer who opposed a museum's decision to sell a 4,000-year-old statue will get £6m after striking a private deal with a council, it has emerged. | A peer who opposed a museum's decision to sell a 4,000-year-old statue will get £6m after striking a private deal with a council, it has emerged. |
| The Sekhemka statue sold for £15.76m at Christie's of London auction was given to Northampton Museum by ancestors of the current Lord Northampton in 1850. | The Sekhemka statue sold for £15.76m at Christie's of London auction was given to Northampton Museum by ancestors of the current Lord Northampton in 1850. |
| Northampton Borough Council said he would get 45% of the sale price. | Northampton Borough Council said he would get 45% of the sale price. |
| The peer originally claimed the Conservative-led council had no right to sell the statue. | The peer originally claimed the Conservative-led council had no right to sell the statue. |
| Christie's said the buyer did not want their identity revealed. | Christie's said the buyer did not want their identity revealed. |
| Lord Northampton's ancestor the 2nd Marquis of Northampton brought the statue back from Egypt after a trip in the 19th Century. | |
| The 30in (76cm) limestone figure of a court official clutching beer, bread and cake - items for the afterlife - is believed to have been acquired by Spencer Compton, the second Marquis of Northampton, in 1850 and was later presented to the museum by his son. | The 30in (76cm) limestone figure of a court official clutching beer, bread and cake - items for the afterlife - is believed to have been acquired by Spencer Compton, the second Marquis of Northampton, in 1850 and was later presented to the museum by his son. |
| The council held "commercial negotiations" lasting more than a year over the sale of the statue with Lord Northampton. | The council held "commercial negotiations" lasting more than a year over the sale of the statue with Lord Northampton. |
| His initial objections - raised when the council first announced it planned to sell the statue in 2012 - were resolved at a cost to the council of £10,000 in legal costs. | His initial objections - raised when the council first announced it planned to sell the statue in 2012 - were resolved at a cost to the council of £10,000 in legal costs. |
| Northampton Borough Council has not made details of its the legal arrangement with the peer public. | Northampton Borough Council has not made details of its the legal arrangement with the peer public. |
| Brendan Glynane, an opposition Liberal Democrat councillor, described the agreement as "tawdry" and accused the council of a lack of transparency over the statue's sale. | Brendan Glynane, an opposition Liberal Democrat councillor, described the agreement as "tawdry" and accused the council of a lack of transparency over the statue's sale. |
| "It is terrible. I think the sale was completely wrong and the full ramifications of this are yet to unfold," he said. | "It is terrible. I think the sale was completely wrong and the full ramifications of this are yet to unfold," he said. |
| Mr Glynane said the reputation of Northampton and its council had been damaged. | Mr Glynane said the reputation of Northampton and its council had been damaged. |
| The council is yet to respond to his comments. | The council is yet to respond to his comments. |
| When the council consulted the public on the proposed sale of the statue, 51% of those replying were in favour and 49% were against. | When the council consulted the public on the proposed sale of the statue, 51% of those replying were in favour and 49% were against. |
| But the council, which will keep £8m from the proceeds of the sale, defended its decision to sell. | But the council, which will keep £8m from the proceeds of the sale, defended its decision to sell. |
| David Mackintosh, council leader, said: "This money will allow us to realise our exciting plans for the future of the museum service. | David Mackintosh, council leader, said: "This money will allow us to realise our exciting plans for the future of the museum service. |
| "Every penny is ring-fenced for the Museum Service and we will now make our museum redevelopment plans a reality." | "Every penny is ring-fenced for the Museum Service and we will now make our museum redevelopment plans a reality." |