Alex McCurthy
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued an apology on Friday after he left the D-Day anniversary commemorations in northern France early to conduct a television interview during Britain’s general election campaign. His early departure from the event, which was attended by other world leaders, including France’s President Emmanuel Macron and US President Joe Biden, sparked criticism from opposition politicians.
Sunak attended a British government event before returning to the UK, missing the main ceremony at Omaha Beach. In a post on the social media platform X, he acknowledged his mistake, saying, “After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer –- and I apologise.”
The interview in question was with ITV News and is set to air on Wednesday. Jonathan Ashworth of the Labour Party criticized Sunak, accusing him of prioritizing “his own vanity TV appearances over our veterans.” Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, stated that Sunak had “brought shame” to his office and “let down our country.”
In his apology, Sunak emphasized that the anniversary “should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country” and expressed regret that the commemorations might be overshadowed by political issues. He stated, “I care deeply about veterans and have been honoured to represent the UK at a number of events in Portsmouth and France over the past two days and to meet those who fought so bravely.”
The D-Day ceremonies marked the 80th anniversary of Operation Overlord, the pivotal military operation on June 6, 1944, that led to the liberation of occupied France and contributed to the end of World War II.
Sunak, who has been the British Prime Minister since October 2022, faces a challenging political climate. Pollsters widely predict that his Conservative Party will lose the upcoming election on July 4, with Labour expected to return to power after 14 years in opposition.
