UK’s Starmer Responds to JD Vance on Free Speech

Starmer Defends U.K.'s Commitment to Free Speech in Meeting with U.S. Vice President

During a discussion with the U.S. vice president, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaned forward in his seat and firmly responded, emphasizing that his government has no intention of interfering with American citizens. “We wouldn’t want to reach across U.S. citizens, and we don’t, and that’s absolutely right,” he stated.

Turning to the issue of free speech in the U.K., Starmer expressed pride in the country’s longstanding tradition. “We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time,” he assured while speaking from the Oval Office.

The conversation takes place amid growing tensions over tech regulation, with the U.S. urging both the U.K. and the European Union to scale back restrictions on artificial intelligence and social media platforms.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump’s adviser Elon Musk has frequently criticized the U.K. government and Starmer personally, particularly regarding the handling of far-right riots last year and Starmer’s past role as the nation’s chief prosecutor.

The discussion also follows remarks from U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, made in response to U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s accusations that the British government pressured Apple to weaken its encryption for increased user data access. Instead, Apple opted to remove its most advanced security feature for U.K. customers last week.