British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced backlash from his political rivals after leaving D-Day commemorations in France early to return to the election campaign trail. Sunak, who is fighting to keep his job in Britain’s upcoming election, apologized for his decision, calling it a mistake.
While leaders like US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron were present at the major memorial event at Omaha Beach in Normandy, Sunak was notably absent. Instead, former Prime Minister David Cameron represented the UK at the ceremony.
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, the current favorite to win the election, attended the event and was pictured meeting with other world leaders. Sunak had earlier attended ceremonies in Normandy and Portsmouth, but his decision to leave early drew criticism.
In an interview with ITV, Sunak defended his decision, stating that he did not want the commemorations to be overshadowed by politics. However, his rivals accused him of a “total dereliction of duty” for skipping the ceremony.
The upcoming election on July 4 will determine the next prime minister of Britain, with all 650 seats in the House of Commons up for grabs. Sunak’s decision to leave the D-Day commemorations early has sparked controversy and raised questions about his leadership and priorities.
As the election campaign heats up, Sunak’s rivals are seizing on this opportunity to criticize him and appeal to voters. The D-Day episode is sure to be a topic of discussion in the upcoming televised debate, where all major parties will be represented.