Greg Heffer, Mail Online Political Reporter and James Tapsfield, Mail Online Political Editor
Updated June 7, 2024 07:55, June 7, 2024 09:00
Rishi Sunak apologised this morning for leaving a Normandy landings event early to attend a TV interview, admitting it was a “mistake” not to stay longer.
The Prime Minister is facing a backlash from the Conservative party after it emerged he has returned from Normandy to continue his general election campaign in front of ITV cameras.
He appeared in northern France early Thursday to pay tribute to military veterans.
However, Mr Sunak returned to the UK before the end of events marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Western Europe.
It meant the prime minister would miss a major international ceremony and gathering of world leaders in Omaha Beach.
After Cameron stepped down early as Foreign Secretary, he was photographed alongside US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was in Normandy for international ceremonies and was photographed meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
It later emerged that Mr Sunak had given a broadcast interview on his return from Normandy, the footage of which was shared by ITV journalist Paul Brand.
Mr Brand told ITV News at Ten: “Today was the time slot that was offered to us… I don’t know why.”
In a social media post this morning, Mr Sunak admitted: “It was a mistake not to stay in France longer and I apologise.”
Labour accused Sunak of “dereliction of duty” for missing all of the Normandy landings commemorations, while the Liberal Democrats said he had “let the country down”.
Sunak also drew anger from within his own party, who feared he had dealt a devastating blow to the Conservative party’s hopes of winning a general election.
The former minister told Mail Online: “This only highlights how badly he is being advised by the Number 10 operation.”
“And that raises the question, why did he go to the countryside when D-Day was obviously a big event?
“He should have been seen as an international statesman, not someone who showed no respect for the war dead.”
“And the polls are already showing [Nigel] Among the over-55s, Farage is in the lead.
One Conservative member defending a northern seat said it could be as bad as May’s social care announcement in 2017, which prompted her infamous “nothing has changed” policy reversal. “We’ll see in the next week,” they said.
Another person told Mail Online that the humiliation would be particularly damaging to the older generation of voters the party is targeting.
They expressed concern about the Conservative defeat on the 4th of July, saying: “I honestly fear that the 70 Remainers led by Pretty will be defeated.” [Patel] It seems increasingly likely, even likely, that a deal will be reached with Mr Farage within 18 months.”
Conservative commentator Tim Montgomery told BBC Newsnight that the Prime Minister’s decision to leave Normandy early was “completely inexcusable if he came back from the anniversary of the Normandy landings to give a political interview.”
“This will be the last major memorial service attended by the survivors.”
“If Rishi Sunak were to miss an ITV election interview, I would consider it political malfeasance of the worst order.”
Referring to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s refusal to stand the national anthem when he was first in power, one Conservative MP told the Spectator: “This is Corbyn-level disrespect.”
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told the Mirror: “I know we have to fight a general election campaign, but this is a very significant anniversary of a great military achievement that brought freedom to Europe.”
“This tournament also has veterans who may never be able to participate again because of their age, so I think it was really important that he showed his enthusiasm for the tournament.”
“He should have stayed. As our prime minister, he should have been there to represent the country and pay tribute to those who died.”
“The Prime Minister missed the international commemorations of the Normandy landings to return to the UK for election campaigning,” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said.
“I’m coming to Normandy in a personal capacity because I think it’s important. Do you think he would agree?”
“The 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings was a moving moment to honour the brave men and women who risked their lives to defend our values, freedom and democracy,” the prime minister wrote in an apology posted on Twitter.
“This anniversary should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”
“The last thing I want is for the commemoration to be overshadowed by politics.”
“I care deeply about our veterans and have been honoured to represent the UK at a number of events in Portsmouth and France over the past two days, meeting those who served bravely.”
“After the UK events in Normandy finished I returned to the UK. In retrospect it was a mistake not to stay in France longer and I apologise.”
Responding to Mr Sunak’s apology, Labour’s shadow cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth said: “Yesterday’s commemoration of the Normandy landings was a time to remember the bravery of all those who served our country.”
“By choosing to prioritise his own vanity TV appearances over war veterans, Rishi Sunak has shown what matters most to him.”
“This verdict from an out-of-touch prime minister is just more despair, more confusion and more fear.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “One of the great privileges of the prime ministership is to be there to honour those who have served, but Rishi Sunak left them behind on the beaches of Normandy.”
“He has brought disgrace to the presidency and let our country down.”
“I am thinking right now of all the veterans he leaves behind and their families and the pain they must be feeling.
“This is a complete dereliction of duty and shows why this Conservative government must go.”