4 days ago
David Lammy facing hefty fine for ILLEGALLY fishing with JD Vance on UK trip – months after taxi fare debacle
DAVID Lammy broke the law when he went fishing with JD Vance last week - because he did not have a licence.
The Foreign Secretary has turned himself in to the environment watchdog and is now liable for a fine.
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He cast off with the US Vice President last week when hosting him at his Chevening grace-and-favour estate.
But he did not possess a rod licence which is a requirement in England and Wales even on private land.
People caught fishing without a valid rod rushing licence can be fined up to £2,500 by the Environment Agency.
Mr Lammy has since purchased a licence and dobbed himself into the quango admitting the 'oversight'.
The Foreign Secretary himself said he did not catch any fish, although Mr Vance said his kids successfully hooked some.
All fish were returned to the waters of the Kent country home after he and the Vice President cast off with their families last Friday - the first time Mr Lammy had fished at Chevening.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: '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.
"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.'
A Labour source added: 'There's nothing fishy to see here. The Foreign Secretary isn't much of a fisherman but he landed a big diplomatic catch getting the Vice President to stay for the weekend at Chevening.
'As soon as he learned of the administrative error he got the relevant licences and notified the Environment Agency to avoid getting caught up.'
Mr Lammy has successfully struck up a friendship with the US Vice President, who is currently on a family holiday in the Cotswolds.
It is not his first diplomatic blunder in the role, after entering a row with a taxi driver over payment earlier this year.
The taxi driver alleged the Foreign Secretary said 'f***ing French', although Mr Lammy has disputed his account.
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