Gov. Ned Lamont, U.K. MPs mark 250th anniversary at Fort Griswold

Gov. Ned Lamont, governor of Connecticut, joined five members of the United Kingdom’s Parliament for a tour of Fort Griswold in Groton as part of events marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The visit combined commemoration and contemporary diplomacy. The governor and visiting lawmakers walked the historic site where, the program noted, a major Revolutionary War battle occurred in 1781. "Happy birthday to America, of course," said Oliver Ryan, identified in the transcript as a Member of Parliament. The tour included remarks that linked the historical remembrance to current policy discussions: Ryan said the delegation talked about "energy, growth, workers and cost of living."

The significance of the site was underscored during the segment describing the 1781 British raid on the port of New London and the capture of the fort by forces under Benedict Arnold. "It's very sobering," Luke Akehurst, identified as a Member of Parliament, said of the plaque honoring families who lost multiple members. Gov. Lamont noted a personal connection during the visit, saying, "That's my family. Miners. I'm Edward Miner."

Officials framed the event as a celebration of the long-standing U.S.-U.K. partnership. Lamont said the visit highlighted the "nature of the relationship between America and Britain over the ensuing 250 years," while Nikki Moss, identified as British Deputy Consul‑General in New England, invoked a remark from the U.K. monarch about the bicentennial and said she feels "optimism and hope for where the next 250 years will take us."

The visit was described in the report as one stop on a multi-day trip intended to highlight cultural and economic ties across the Atlantic. The segment did not record formal policy commitments, votes, or specific agreements; it focused on public diplomacy, historical remembrance and broad topics—energy, economic growth and workers—raised by the delegation.