Overview

• David Lammy acknowledged he went fishing at Chevening House without a required rod licence, then wrote to the Environment Agency and bought the licences afterwards.
• The Environment Agency confirmed the licences have been purchased and noted that unauthorised fishing can carry fines of up to £2,500.
• It remains unclear whether US Vice-President JD Vance held a valid rod licence for the same outing.
• All fish caught during the visit were returned to the private lake, and the session formed part of Vance’s wider UK stay that combined bilateral discussions with family time.
• Political figures have seized on the oversight to debate legal compliance in official engagements and consistency in enforcement.