Jeremy Clarkson has taken a markedly different stance from his Clarkson’s Farm colleague Kaleb Cooper regarding the recent visit of US Vice President JD Vance to the Cotswolds.
Whilst Mr Cooper expressed fury after being ordered by police to make way for the politician’s motorcade, Mr Clarkson adopted a more relaxed attitude towards the disruption.
The agricultural worker’s anger stemmed from practical concerns rather than political objections.
Mr Cooper was transporting wheat that required urgent shelter from approaching rain when police instructed him to pull aside for Vance’s 27-vehicle convoy in Chipping Norton.
“One of the people they ordered to pull over was Kaleb Cooper, my tractor driver, but it was starting to rain and he urgently needed to get his load of wheat into the shed, so he invited his tormentor to eff off. And carried on regardless,” Clarkson wrote in his Sunday Times column.
The 27-year-old farmer later took to social media to elaborate on the incident’s consequences.
“My wheat got wet in the trailer last night as the convo(y) stopped me in the rain in chippy. I could have easily went on my way and got it in the shed without getting in the way,” Cooper posted on Instagram.
The disruption occurred as American security personnel escorted Vance through the Oxfordshire market town.
“The motorcade’s arrival at a local petrol station prevented other motorists from refuelling for approximately an hour.
Despite the agricultural setback, Mr Cooper had reason to celebrate later in the week. He and his fiancée Taya welcomed their third child, Ashton, on August 14 at Chipping Norton maternity unit.
Meanwhile, Mr Clarkson dismissed broader complaints about the Cotswolds becoming overrun with celebrities and wealthy visitors.
He argued that concerns about the area transforming into an American-style enclave were overblown.
Having resided in the region for three decades, the broadcaster noted positive changes since his arrival.
He recalled how the area once had unreliable utilities and limited dining options, contrasting this with current amenities.
The presenter questioned why residents would object to high-profile visitors like Taylor Swift, who he noted remained so discreet during her stay that locals were unaware of her presence.
He also pointed out that venues like Soho Farmhouse and Estelle Manor, often cited as examples of the area’s gentrification, were situated outside the actual Cotswolds boundaries.
Clarkson adopted a dismissive tone towards the security arrangements, describing a brief exchange with officials who attempted to prevent drone filming for his television programme.
“F*** off,” he recalled telling them, after which they acquiesced. The former Top Gear presenter characterised the protests against Vance’s visit as small-scale affairs, comparing them to “a bring-and-buy cake sale”.
He suggested the American politician’s ostentatious motorcade was unsurprising given his cultural background.
Rather than complaining, Clarkson proposed Britain should demand similar treatment when UK politicians visit America.
He suggested Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner should travel with “a 28-strong Aston Martin cavalcade” and corresponding security measures.
The broadcaster concluded by describing the unchanged beauty of the Chadlington countryside, maintaining that the temporary disruption was merely “a bit of a giggle” comparable to the town’s annual funfair or Christmas pantomime.
