US Vice President JD Vance has issued a stark warning to Britain about the dangers of restricting free speech, claiming the West has become “too comfortable with censoring” during a press conference with Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Speaking at Chevening House in Kent, where he is staying as a guest of Mr Lammy for two days, the Vice President struck a measured but pointed tone about what he sees as concerning trends in Western democracies’ approach to free expression.
“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,” Mr Vance told reporters during a televised meeting with the Foreign Secretary.
Diplomatic Tensions Over Free Expression
The comments come amid ongoing tensions between Washington and London over Britain’s approach to online regulation, particularly following the implementation of the controversial Online Safety Act which came into force in July 2025.
Mr Vance, who has previously described Britain as having some of the world’s toughest restrictions on free speech, warned against following what he characterised as America’s own troubling trajectory under the previous administration.
“The thing that I’d say to the people of England or to anybody else, to David, is many of the things that I worry most about were happening in the United States from 2020 to 2024,” he explained. I just don’t want other countries to follow us down what I think was a very dark path under the Biden administration.
When invited by Mr Vance to respond, Mr Lammy remained notably silent, creating what observers described as an awkward moment during the otherwise cordial meeting.
Previous Confrontations
This is not the first time Mr Vance has raised concerns about British free speech policies. In February, during a televised Oval Office meeting between Sir Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump, the Vice President flagged that “infringements on free speech” were now affecting not only British citizens but also American technology companies, “and by extension American citizens.
Sir Keir had quickly interjected at the time, insisting: “We’ve had free speech for a very long time, it will last a long time, and we are very proud of that.”
The Vice President has also previously criticised Britain at the Munich Security Conference, stating that the “backslide away from conscience rights has placed the basic liberties of religious Britons in particular in the crosshairs.”
Unlikely Friendship Amid Differences
Despite the ideological tensions, Mr Vance and Mr Lammy have developed what officials describe as a warm personal friendship, bonding over their shared Christian faith and difficult childhoods marked by addiction in their families.
The two politicians went fishing together at Chevening before their formal meeting, with Mr Vance revealing he caught several fish whilst all three of his children also made catches. Mr Lammy, however, came up empty-handed, prompting the Vice President to joke: “The one strain on the special relationship is that all of my kids caught a fish, but the Foreign Secretary did not.”
Mr Lammy posted a photograph of the pair laughing during their fishing expedition, saying it was a “real pleasure” to welcome the Vance family and that the Vice President “gave me fishing tips, Kentucky style.”
Broader Context of Online Safety Debate
Mr Vance’s comments come as Britain implements its Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content including pornography, self-harm, suicide and eating disorder material. The legislation has sparked significant controversy, with critics raising concerns about compliance burdens, freedom of expression and enforcement challenges.
Since the Act came into force, VPN apps have become the most downloaded applications on Apple’s App Store in the UK, whilst a petition calling for its repeal has garnered more than 400,000 signatures. Social media platform X has described the legislation as a decision to “increase censorship in the name of ‘online safety’.”
The Act requires platforms to use age verification methods including facial scans, photo ID and credit card checks to verify users’ ages, raising privacy concerns among civil liberties advocates.
Finding Common Ground
Despite their differences on free speech, Mr Lammy emphasised areas of agreement between the two nations, reflecting on “the joy of living in a democracy like ours” where debate thrives despite opposing views.
“There are areas where there are actually joint concern, we both have a joint concern about outcomes for working people, that is the truth of it,” Mr Lammy said. “And we have also discussed issues like irregular and illegal migration and how we deal with those issues.”
The Foreign Secretary added: “So there are commonalities and there are differences and that is the joy of living in democracies like ours.”
Wider Diplomatic Agenda
During their two-day stay at the 115-room mansion, the Vance family will engage in discussions covering the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as technological advancements and the economic alliance between the UK and US.
After their time at Chevening, the Vice President and his family plan to head to the Cotswolds for a summer holiday. Mr Vance is also expected to travel to Scotland next week, following President Trump’s recent five-day visit to his golf courses at Turnberry and Aberdeenshire.
The visit represents a significant diplomatic engagement as both nations navigate complex transatlantic dynamics, with Mr Vance attempting to balance his role as a fierce advocate of “America First” policies whilst building bridges with key allies.
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