US Vice-President JD Vance has met The Apprentice’s Tom Skinner for a barbecue and some beers ahead of his breakfast with Nigel Farage.
The Vice President of the United States, Donald Trump’s deputy, spent the weekend in Kent at Chevening along with his friend, Foreign Secretary David Lammy. He later enjoyed a party with Skinner on Monday.
The pair have bonded in recent weeks over social media, culminating in the “invitation” to the event with the vice-president.
Writing on social media this evening, Skinner said: “When the Vice President of the USA invites ya for a BBQ an beers, you say yes.
“Unreal night with JD and his friends n family. He was a proper gent.
“Lots of laughs and some fantastic food. A brilliant night, one to tell the grand kids about mate. Bosh.”
Photos from the event show the two smiling and giving thumbs up. Skinner wore a shirt and tie, while Vance chose a casual short-sleeve shirt.
This comes ahead of a meeting between the US vice-president and Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage tomorrow.
The pair will have breakfast in the Cotswolds as Vance enjoys both business and pleasure during his UK summer holiday.
Already, Vance has held meetings with a number of other political figures during his trip, including Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick.
He had tried to set up a meeting with his friend Kemi Badenoch but their schedules were not compatible.
Vance has shown growing interest in Reform UK, with reports from July indicating that he had consulted Peter Mandelson about the party, observing that they “seem to be doing very well.”
Other attendees at Monday’s barbecue were Cambridge academic James Orr and Tory MP Danny Kruger.
Vance, the former Apprentice star, described his appearance at the event with Skinner and said, “Here is a picture of me and the Vice President towards the end of the night after enjoying a few beers.”
“I’m overdressed in my suit, but when the VP invites you to a BBQ, you don’t risk turning up in shorts an flip-flops.
“Cracking night in the beautiful English countryside with JD, his friends and family. Once in a lifetime. Bosh.”
Skinner has found himself catapulted to fame over recent years, following his appearance on The Apprentice in 2019.
More recently, his posts on social media have struck a chord among many, with some urging him to run for political office.
His meeting with one of the most powerful political figures globally could be a natural stepping stone towards that.
VANCE HOLIDAYING ACROSS UK
JD Vance’s trip to the UK has seen him travelling through the Cotswolds and southern England with his family.
The vice-president, his wife Usha, and children Ewan, 8, Vivek, 5, and Mirabel, 3, were seen travelling together in an extensive motorcade.
However, some locals were displeased when he visited an upscale farm shop in the area, resulting in several road closures and security checks conducted by police with sniffer dogs.
His 18-strong motorcade caused disruption around Chipping Norton as the VP visited the Daylesford Organic farm shop.
Several large black SUVs carrying people believed to be Secret Service agents were seen parked on the driveway.
It came after a meeting with Foreign Secretary David Lammy at Chevening House in Kent on Friday.
The pair are understood to have forged an unlikely friendship, even spending time with each other’s families outside of business meetings.
During their meeting, the VP urged Britain to avoid the “very dark path” of silencing free speech.
He warned that the West has grown “a little too comfortable with censoring” during his press conference with the foreign secretary.
He commented, “I believe the Western collective, the transatlantic relationship, and our NATO allies, especially the United States under the Biden administration, got a bit too comfortable with censoring rather than embracing a wide range 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.
