JD Vance has said he does not want the UK to go down a “very dark path” of losing free speech during a meeting with the foreign secretary at his country estate.

The US vice president has previously raised concerns that free speech is being eroded in the UK.

However, during a two-day visit to David Lammy’s grace and favour 115-room mansion, Chevening House in Kent, Mr Vance kept his criticism a bit more low key.

Asked about free speech in the UK during a televised meeting of the two men, Mr Vance said he has “raised concerns” about free speech in his own country and accused the West of “censoring rather than engaging” with different opinions.

He said: “I think the entire collective West, the transatlantic relationship, our NATO allies, certainly the United States under the Biden administration, got a little too comfortable with censoring rather than engaging with a diverse array of opinions. So that’s been my view.

“Obviously, I’ve raised some criticism, concerns about our friends on this side of the Atlantic.

“But the thing that I’d say to the people of England or anybody else, to David, is many of the things that I worry most about were happening in the United States from 2020 to 2024.

“I just don’t want other countries to follow us down what I think was a very dark path under the Biden administration.”

Mr Lammy, who has struck up the unlikely relationship over the past few months, did not comment on Mr Vance’s indirect criticism.

In February, when Sir Keir Starmer was carrying out a similar televised meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office, Mr Vance said “infringements on free speech” now do not just affect the British, but also American tech companies – “and by extension American citizens”.

Sir Keir quickly interjected, saying: “We’ve had free speech for a very long time, it will last a long time, and we are very proud of that.”

Mr Vance and his family are staying with Mr Lammy at Chevening for two days before heading to the Cotswolds for a summer holiday.

The vice president was effusive in his praise for the grand estate that comes with Mr Lammy’s job, saying “being here lifts up the human spirit” as he thanked the “people of England” for having such a “beautiful place for foreigners like me to come and talk about the issues of the day”.

He added that he “loves the UK”.

Read more:
MP alerts coastguard to ‘migrants’ – who were charity rowing team
Homelessness minister resigns after ‘extortionate’ rent hike claims

The two politicians went fishing ahead of their meeting, with Mr Vance revealing he caught a few, while all three of his children caught a fish but Mr Lammy did not.

He also said his children had fallen asleep on the floor of the large house, and his three-year-old daughter kept asking if she would see Mr Lammy’s daughter.

Mr Lammy posted a picture of him and Mr Vance laughing as they fished, saying it was a “real pleasure” to welcome the Vance family and the vice president “gave me fishing tips, Kentucky style”.

JD Vance confirmed he will holiday in Scotland next week in a trip that could see up to 1,000 police officers deployed as part of security efforts.

He confirmed his Scottish trip during talks with Mr Lammy on Friday.

Sky News understands the Vance family are likely to visit Ayrshire, the same area where Mr Trump recently stayed where he secured a trade deal with the European Union.

Police sources have suggested approximately 1,000 officers will be working across the visit to ensure the vice president and his loved ones are safe, Sky News’ Scotland correspondent Conner Gillies reported.

Police Scotland declined to comment on the specifics.

It is understood the Vance family will not be staying at Trump Turnberry, the luxury Ayrshire resort owned by the US president himself.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Planning is under way for a potential visit to Scotland by the vice president of the United States.

“Details of any visit would be for the White House to comment on, however it is important that we prepare in advance for what would be a significant policing operation.”

MP Rupert Lowe alerted the coastguard to potential migrants on a boat – who turned out to be a charity rowing crew.

The independent Great Yarmouth MP posted a picture on social media on Thursday night of a boat near some wind turbines off the Norfolk Coast, saying he had alerted the authorities.

He wrote dinghies were coming into Great Yarmouth, “RIGHT NOW”.

“If these are illegal migrants, I will be using every tool at my disposal to ensure those individuals are deported,” he added.

Politics latest: Lammy to meet US vice president in UK

But the “dinghy” was actually an ocean rowing boat crewed by ROW4MND, a team of four attempting to row from Land’s End to John O’Groats for motor neurone disease research.

Mr Lowe, who was suspended from Reform UK in March, posted on Friday morning that it was a “false alarm” and was a boat of charity rowers, “thank goodness”.

He said he would donate £1,000 to their charity “as a well done” – but warned people to “watch out for any real illegal migrants”.

“We received a huge number of urgent complaints from constituents – I make no apologies over being vigilant for my constituents. It is a national crisis,” he wrote.

“No mass deportations for the charity rowers, but we definitely need it for the illegal migrants!”

Police wanted to send a boat to check

It is the first of four gruelling rows the crew will take over four years in an attempt to raise £57m for motor neurone disease research, inspired by the deaths of rugby players Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir from the condition.

Matthew Parker, Mike Bates, Aaron Kneebone and Liz Wardley said the coastguard initially contacted them and asked if they could see a dinghy nearby.

Ex-Royal Marine Mr Bates, a British record holder for rowing across the Atlantic solo, said it soon became clear the coastguard was asking about their boat.

“I looked to my right and there was maybe a dozen individuals stood on the shoreline staring at us,” he told the PA news agency.

After the coastguard accepted they were not carrying migrants, they rowed on through the night but hours later were contacted again by the coastguard because the police had “asked if they could send a lifeboat out to check who we were”.

‘I’ve not been mistaken for a migrant before’

A friend then forwarded Mr Lowe’s post, which Mr Bates said was “a moment of light relief”.

“We found it hilarious. I’ve not been mistaken for a migrant before,” he said.

“The best comment was the one asking where the Royal Navy were when you need them. I’m a former Royal Marine, so the Royal Navy were on the boat.

“But it was almost like a vigilante-style, people following us down the beach.

“They hadn’t twigged that we were parallel to the shore for hours and not trying to land.”

Read more:
Is Corbyn’s comeback a headache for Starmer – or a red herring?

Gruelling four-year challenge

The crew set off from Land’s End on 25 July, heading north, but bad weather forced them to stop, and they decided to return to Land’s End and start again, heading anticlockwise around the UK.

Next year, the team is hoping to row from John O’Groats to Land’s End, then from California to Hawaii in 2027 and New York to London in 2028.

Mr Bates said: “We’re rowing for hope, we’re rowing to find a cure, and hopefully we’ll raise £57m – we certainly will if MPs keep talking about us. Maybe Rupert will give us a donation.”