Prime Minister apologises for leaving Normandy landings commemoration ceremony early

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has apologised for cutting early the start of celebrations in France to mark the anniversary of the Normandy landings.

World leaders gathered at the event to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings in 1944.

Mr Sunak attended the British event before leaving, with Foreign Secretary David Cameron standing next to US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.

“On reflection, it was a mistake. I apologize,” the prime minister told reporters.

Mr Sunak said his participation in the Normandy landings commemorations had been planned “weeks in advance” and that he had attended other events with veterans, including in Portsmouth.

“He attended all the UK events alongside British veterans before returning home ahead of an event with international leaders scheduled for later in the day,” he said.

“In retrospect, it was a mistake and I apologize.”

The Prime Minister also Apologized for XHe said he hoped the “ultimate sacrifice” of those who risked their lives would not be “overshadowed by politics.”

Commemorations of the Normandy landings included a British-hosted event in Vers-sur-Mer attended by the prime minister and King Charles, but Mr Sunak left ahead of the international commemoration at Omaha Beach.

In contrast, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer attended until the end of the event, the party confirmed, suggesting that Mr Sunak had returned to record an interview with ITV.

Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth said: “By choosing to prioritise his own vanity TV appearances over war veterans, Rishi Sunak has shown what matters most to him.”

Sir Keir said he was “shocked” by how difficult it had been for veterans to get there and how many made the effort to get up from their wheelchairs to salute the King.

He said: “I just thought it was really important for me to be there to pay tribute to them and to those who didn’t come back and actually say thank you.”

“Rishi Sunak must take responsibility for his actions. For me, there was no other place for me to be.”

Veterans Affairs Minister Johnny Mercer told The Sun’s Election Countdown that “you can imagine how I felt” about the Prime Minister leaving the venue early, calling it a “serious error”.

Mr Mercer, who had previously spoken to Mr Sunak, said “he knows this is wrong and as Prime Minister he will take responsibility for it”, but added: “People make mistakes”.

“I understand the anger. This is a mistake. It’s a serious mistake for which he has apologised,” said Mr Mercer, who is running for Plymouth Conservative.

“But I’m also not going to join the cry of all these fake veterans advocates who are suddenly upset that he’s not treating veterans well, because that’s just not true.”

He asked people to remind them of the government’s decisions on veterans’ issues, including the veterans’ prosecution in Northern Ireland, and argued progress had stalled until Mr Sunak took the helm as “someone who really believes in it”.

But Muriel, 90, from Carlisle, whose father fought in Italy on the day of the Normandy landings, told BBC Radio 5 Live she was “absolutely disgusted” with Mr Sunak and was moved to tears by his resignation.

She said: “He was our prime minister and he represented me. I think it’s so wrong.”

“I sat watching the movie from 7:30 and was in tears for most of it. I thought it was a really bad movie.

“If he expects me to vote for him again, forget it.”

Tim Montgomery, founder of Conservative Home, told BBC Newsnight that it was “inexcusable” to take time off the commemoration to give an interview.

“It makes you want to hold your head in your hands…If you come back from the commemoration of the Normandy landings to give a political interview, there’s no excuse for that,” he said.

Sir Craig Oliver, a former Downing Street communications director, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Mr Sunak “has no idea what it means to be prime minister” and said D-Day should have been ruled out despite there being a general election.

“This is a very important moment for the country but also a very important moment for me as prime minister,” he said.

“And the problem for Rishi Sunak this morning is that he’s being accused of not understanding what it means to be chancellor and what the duties of that are.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called the decision a “dereliction of duty”.

“One of the great privileges of the Chancellorship is to be there to honour those who have served, but Rishi Sunak left them behind on the beaches of Normandy.”

“This is a complete dereliction of duty and shows why this Conservative government must go.”

Reform Party leader Nigel Farage told X he was “honoured” to help raise funds for veterans attending the Normandy event.

“Rishi Sunak wasn’t even going to attend an international event over Omaha Beach,” he said, adding: “Who really believes in our people, him or me?”

The BBC has contacted CCHQ for comment.

The issue is expected to be raised by former Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt, representing the Conservative Party, during the BBC’s general election debate at 7.30pm BST tonight.

She will go head-to-head with Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper, Scottish National Party leader Stephen Flynn, Green Party co-leader Carla Denier, Plaid Cymru leader Rune ap Iorwath and Reform Party leader Nigel Farage.