Chris Mason: How Lammy and Vance’s unlikely friendship is being leveraged

Chris Mason: How Lammy and Vance’s Unlikely Friendship is Being Leveraged

For weeks, Donald Trump has been criticizing the UK’s prime minister with sharp public remarks. Meanwhile, the relationship between the two nations’ top deputies appears to be thriving. David Lammy, the justice secretary and deputy prime minister, recently met with JD Vance, the U.S. vice president, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House. Each session lasted approximately 45 minutes, centered on conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Though the foreign secretary, a role Lammy previously held before it was reassigned to Yvette Cooper, could have been involved, the focus has shifted to Lammy’s rapport with Vance. This connection, which began when Lammy was an opposition member and Vance was newly elected to the Senate, has grown stronger. Last summer, Vance’s family spent time at Lammy’s official residence, Chevening in Kent. During a recent visit to Washington, Lammy shared on X: “Great to catch up with my friend JD Vance today in DC following his talks in Pakistan.”

“Securing a ceasefire and ensuring unimpeded shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is crucial. We continue working together toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

These interactions come amid the prime minister’s repeated critiques of Trump’s rhetoric. Earlier this week, Starmer rebuked Trump for labeling Iran’s civilians as targets in his threat to “destroy a whole civilisation.” He emphasized to MPs that such language was “wrong,” noting the suffering of Iranian civilians under their own regime over years. In the same statement, he criticized both Trump and Vladimir Putin, stating he was “fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down because of the actions of Putin or Trump.”

Despite the UK’s stance against Trump’s aggressive statements, the prime minister has distanced himself from the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. Trump, however, has consistently mocked the UK leader, even suggesting he is “not Winston Churchill.” The underlying policy differences between the two governments are evident, yet the warmth of the deputies’ friendship offers a potential counterbalance to the frosty dynamic between their leaders.