Foreign Secretary David Lammy has been accused of wanting to concrete over some of the carefully maintained land of his grace-and-favour Kent Downes estate, Chevening.
It is one of the architectural treasures of Britain, sitting in a 3,000-acre estate of protected green belt in a designated Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
A source in the room said they were 'shocked' at the comments Mr Lammy made to UK embassy staff, many of whom were meeting the new Foreign Secretary for the first time. 'He said it had too much green space and needs to be built on,' an insider said, though sources close to Mr Lammy denied the claims The Grade I listed mansion and its estate were bequeathed to the nation in 1967. The King lived there for six years in the 1970s, but more recently it has been used by Foreign Secretaries to help project Britain's 'soft power'.
'It is quite shocking and shows a lack of knowledge about the community,' he told The Mail on Sunday. An Act of Parliament allows the Prime Minister to nominate who can use Chevening, but it must be a Cabinet Minister or a descendant of George VI.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
but is Foreign Secretary David Lammy tough enough to get what Britain needs?The foreign secretary's diplomacy will be tested - in the coming days at the United Nations General Assembly and then in the months ahead by the US presidential elections.
Read more »
Harry Dunn family told death inquiry aims for NovemberThe teenager's family say they have been given the date by Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Read more »
Starmer did not apologise to Trump for past insults at first meetingForeign Secretary David Lammy once described Donald Trump as a 'woman-hating, neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath'
Read more »
David Lammy's ambitious green foreign policy plans will require cash and commitmentThe foreign secretary promised to help poorer countries access renewable energy and reduce their carbon footprints. There's evidence his ambition is genuine - but it's likely to require cash when his government says the public finances are tight.
Read more »
Climate Crisis Must Be 'Central' To Foreign Office Work, Says David LammyForeign Secretary David Lammy has vowed to make tackling the climate crisis a central priority for his department, arguing that it is the defining geopolitical challenge of our time. He called for a 'hard-headed' approach to the issue, saying nothing could be 'more central to the UK's national interests' than slowing global warming.
Read more »
‘Iran would be wise to rein in Hamas and Hezbollah’, says Andrew MitchellWe were joined by the shadow Foreign secretary - and former deputy Foreign Secretary - Andrew Mitchell.
Read more »