David Lammy to host JD Vance as US vice-president arrives for UK holiday

David Lammy is due to meet US vice-president JD Vance amid ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.

The Foreign Secretary is expected to host Mr Vance on Friday at Chevening, his official country retreat in Kent, as the vice-president begins a summer holiday with his family in the UK.

They will discuss UK-US relations in a bilateral meeting before being joined by their families.

The pair are said to have developed a warm friendship, bonding over their difficult childhoods and Christian faith.

Mr Lammy is reported to have attended Mass at the vice-president’s Washington residence during a visit in March, and now plans to repay the favour with the stay at Chevening.

Campaign

Built in the 17th century, Grade I-listed Chevening was previously the home of the earls of Stanhope, before it was gifted to the state in 1959.

It has traditionally acted as the foreign secretary’s country residence, but the prime minister can nominate any of his cabinet colleagues to use the house.

Friday’s meeting comes at a time of persistent global uncertainty, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting an expansion of his country’s campaign in Gaza and Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly preparing to meet Donald Trump in the coming days.

The US and UK have found themselves at odds on Gaza, with Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to recognise a Palestinian state if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire drawing criticism from Washington.

On Ukraine, Mr Trump said on a visit to the UK last month that he would bring forward the deadline for Mr Putin to agree a ceasefire or face higher tariffs to Friday.

But speaking in the White House on Thursday, the US president would not commit to taking action when the deadline expires, saying only that it was “up to” Mr Putin.

Kremlin officials claimed that a meeting between the US and Russian presidents had been agreed and could take place as early as next week, despite Moscow showing no sign of relenting in its attacks on Ukraine.

Sanctions

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged Mr Lammy to use his meeting with Mr Vance to press for new American sanctions ahead of any meeting between the presidents.

He said: “We’ve been here before: Putin stalling and trying to curry favour with Trump through promises of a ceasefire – before rocking Ukraine with even more bombs.

“With his self-imposed deadline elapsing tomorrow, Trump needs to put his money where his mouth is and introduce the sanctions he promised on Russia. It would be a disaster if Trump lets himself be fooled by Putin again.”

The vice-president and his family are also expected to visit Hampton Court Palace during their trip to the UK, the bulk of which will be spent in the Cotswolds.

His choice of holiday destination may surprise some in light of his previous criticism of Britain, including a claim that a “backslide away from conscience rights has placed the basic liberties of religious Britons” under threat.

Mr Vance made the remarks in February as he raised concerns over a legal case in which a man who silently prayed outside an abortion clinic was convicted of breaching the safe zone around the centre.

He has also suggested the UK is a “truly Islamist” country – a characterisation that was later dismissed by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner – and railed against what he described as “infringements on free speech” in Britain.

More recently the vice-president has appeared to take aim at Britain’s international standing as well as its home affairs.

Deal

As the UK and France led European efforts to secure a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, he questioned the level of security that could be offered by “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.

He was later forced to deny he had been referring to either the UK or France after facing a furious backlash from British politicians and ex-soldiers.

“I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond,” he said of the remarks made in a Fox News interview in March.