LONDON

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has referred himself to the Environment Agency after an “administrative oversight” meant he went fishing without a fishing license while hosting US Vice President JD Vance.

The pair were at Lammy’s grace-and-favor retreat in Kent on Friday.

Vance and his family stayed with Lammy at Chevening for two days before travelling to the Cotswolds for a summer holiday.

“The Foreign Secretary has written to the Environment Agency over an administrative oversight that meant the appropriate licenses 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 on Wednesday.

In England and Wales, anglers aged 13 or over must hold a rod license to fish for freshwater species such as carp, according to the Environment Agency.

The spokesperson added that as soon as Lammy was made aware of the “administrative error” he purchased a fishing license, then “wrote to the Environment Agency notifying them of the error.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Everyone who goes fishing needs a license to help improve our rivers, lakes and the sport anglers love.

“We understand the relevant licenses have been purchased.”