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BRITAIN must avoid the “very dark path” of silencing free speech, JD Vance urged today.
The US Vice President warned the West has grown “a little too comfortable with censoring” during a press conference with Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
The Veep said: “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 has previously slammed Britain for enforcing some of the toughest restrictions on free speech globally.
In February, during a televised meeting between Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump in the Oval Office, the Vice President flagged that “infringements on free speech” are now impacting not only Brits but also American tech firms, “and by extension American citizens”.
Vance’s latest tirade comes after the UK launched a divisive new Online Safety Act which targets children’s social media usage.
Striking a more measured tone this time, Mr Vance explained: “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.
“I just don’t want other countries to follow us down what I think was a very dark path under the Biden administration.”
When asked by Mr Vance if he had anything to add, Mr Lammy remained silent.
The Vice President and his family are spending two days with Mr Lammy at Chevening before heading to the Cotswolds for a summer break.
During their bilateral talks, the duo tackled issues including the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as advancements in technology.
Highlighting their ideological differences, Mr Lammy reflected on the “joy of living in a democracy like ours,” where debate thrives despite opposing views.
He said: “But, you know, 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.
“And we have also discussed issues like irregular and illegal migration and how we deal with those issues.
“So there are commonalities and there are differences and that is the joy of living in democracies like ours.”
Vance is expected to make the short trip across to Scotland next week.
The visit from the latest high-profile American politician comes shortly after Donald Trump’s five-day trip to Turnberry and Aberdeenshire, where he opened the new 18 holes at his golf course at Trump International in Menie.
Mr Trump met with the First Minister, the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and played several rounds of golf during his visit.
