Sunak apologises after backlash over his decision to skip D-Day event

Rishi Sunak has repeatedly apologised for leaving D-Day memorial events early but insisted voters should “judge me by my actions” in supporting the armed forces.

The Prime Minister left Normandy before a major international ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings so he could record a TV interview as part of his General Election campaign push for votes.

In the face of a backlash from political opponents and some in his own party, Mr Sunak admitted that “on reflection” he should have stayed for the event where world leaders including US President Joe Biden marked the sacrifice made by troops landing on the Normandy beaches in 1944.

He repeated that apology as he faced questions from broadcasters on a campaign event in Wiltshire and denied reports he had considered not going to France at all to focus on the Tory campaign.

“I’m someone who will always admit when I’ve made a mistake,” he said.

Mr Sunak said the itinerary for the events was set weeks ago, before the start of the General Election campaign, suggesting he had never intended to go to the centrepiece of the 80th D-Day commemorations.

“I stuck to the itinerary that had been set for me as Prime Minister weeks ago, before the election,” he said.

Mr Sunak said that having participated in “all the British events with British veterans I returned home before the international leaders’ event later in the day”.

He said: “On reflection, that was a mistake. And I apologise. I think it’s important though, given the enormity of the sacrifice made, the focus should rightly be on the veterans who gave so much.”

But the Prime Minister added: “People can judge me by my actions when it comes to supporting the armed forces.”

He highlighted the Tory commitment to spend 2.5% on defence by 2030 and his support for veterans.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron represented the UK Government at the international event, while Mr Sunak’s rival for the keys to No 10, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, was also there rubbing shoulders with world leaders.

Mr Sunak was challenged on what it said about him that his election rival stayed in France while he did not.

“On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay longer and I apologise for that,” he repeated.

“But I also don’t think it’s right to be political in the midst of D-Day commemorations. The focus should rightly be on the veterans and their service and sacrifice for our country.”

The Prime Minister denied as “simply not right” reports he had considered missing the Normandy elements of the D-Day anniversary commemorations entirely.

The Prime Minister left France to record an ITV General Election interview which will air next week.

The broadcaster said the timing of the interview was suggested by the Conservative Party.

Veterans’ minister Johnny Mercer said he understood the “outrage” at the Prime Minister’s actions.

“I get the outrage. It’s a mistake. It’s a significant mistake for which he’s apologised,” Mr Mercer told The Sun.

He suggested that Mr Sunak’s team should take a share of the blame for their advice to him.

“Obviously it’s a mistake. The PM on these visits receives a lot of advice on what he should and shouldn’t be doing,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s actions caused unease within a Tory party already nervous about its General Election prospects on July 4.

His apology came while children’s minister David Johnston was touring broadcast studios, struggling to defend Mr Sunak’s decision.

On Times Radio he was confronted with a message from one Conservative activist who said they “wonder whether I should bother” going out to knock on doors for the party “when the Prime Minister seems to be doing all he can to lose the election”.

The Prime Minister’s actions were seized on by political opponents, not least Reform UK which hopes to eat into Tory support.

Reform’s leader Nigel Farage said he helped raise £100,000 for the Taxi Charity to send veterans back to Normandy but “Rishi Sunak could not even be bothered to attend the international event above Omaha Beach”.

He added: “Who really believes in our people, him or me?”

Sir Keir said Mr Sunak “will have to answer for his own actions” in leaving Normandy ahead of the international D-Day event but “for me there was nowhere else I was going to be”.

He told reporters on a visit to a housing development in Brent Cross: “Politics is about the choices you make.

“And this election is about character, who you have in your mind’s eye when you make decisions and for me there was only one place I was going to be which is there to pay my respects to the veterans and to say thank you to them on behalf of all of us, including my young children who, as I said to many of the veterans, were pretty carefree yesterday going to school but that was down to their sacrifice and the sacrifice particularly of those colleagues of theirs who didn’t make it back.”

He added: “It was my duty to be there, it was my privilege to be there.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Sunak’s actions had brought “shame” to the office of Prime Minister “and let down our country”.