It’s not every day that you see two senior politicians getting their rods out.
But that’s exactly what Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US Vice President did during JD Vance’s three day flying visit to the UK this week.
The Vances based themselves at Dean Manor in the tiny settlement of Dean, not far from David Cameron’s digs in Chipping Norton, in the Cotswolds.
While visiting Lammy at Chevening House, in Kent, the two decided to take up a spot of fishing together.
Harmless, right? Apparently not.
Lammy has now referred himself to the environment watchdog because he failed to obtain rod licences for the pair to go fishing.
Anglers in England and Wales aged 13 or over must have a rod licence to fish for freshwater species, such as carp, according to the Environment Agency.
But fish lovers, have no fear – all the fish that were caught were returned to the private lake, the PA news agency reported.
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‘The Foreign Secretary has written to the Environment Agency over an administrative oversight that meant the appropriate licences had not been acquired for fishing on a private lake as part of a diplomatic engagement at Chevening House last week,’ a Foreign Office spokesperson said.
‘As soon as the Foreign Secretary was made aware of the administrative error, he successfully purchased the relevant rod fishing licences.
‘He also wrote to the Environment Agency notifying them of the error, demonstrating how it would be rectified, and thanking them for their work protecting Britain’s fisheries.’
During the visit, Vance described Lammy as a ‘good friend’ and a ‘very, very gracious host’.
The vice president added: ‘Unfortunately, the one strain on the special relationship is that all of my kids caught fish, but the Foreign Secretary did not.’
All fish that were caught were returned to the private lake, the PA news agency understands.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: ‘Everyone who goes fishing needs a licence to help improve our rivers, lakes and the sport anglers love.
‘We understand the relevant licences have been purchased.’
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