UK prime minister says it was ‘a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise’

Rishi Sunak has apologised for leaving D-day anniversary events early to take part in a TV interview, admitting it was “a mistake not to stay in France longer”.

The prime minister had been heavily criticised for allowing the foreign secretary, David Cameron, to take his place in the late afternoon ceremony at Omaha beach on Thursday, while he left Normandy to do a prerecorded ITV segment to be broadcast next week.

On Friday, the prime minister said on X: “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.

“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.”

Conservative activists reacted with fury at the sight of Cameron standing alongside the French, German and US leaders, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Joe Biden, with one saying it had left them questioning whether to “bother to continue campaigning”.

      • JohnSmith
        5·
        6 months ago

        I’d say that in itself is more of an achievement than anything else he’s managed as the PM.

        • Echo Dot
          2·
          6 months ago

          Did he achieve literally anything as PM? I know he was going on about that smoking law but did that actually go through.

          I know he legislated that an unsafe country is safe, but given that that’s going to get undone the instant Labour in office I don’t count it. Also it ended up having absolutely zero effect anyway as the only person deported to Rwanda was someone who went voluntarily.

    • Echo Dot
      5·
      6 months ago

      What I mean though is he was hand-picked by the Tories, it wasn’t as though there was an election where he ended up on top because all the other candidates were not chosen, like Theresa May. He didn’t win by default or anything, they chose him.

      They actually presumably thought about it and decided he was the best option. If that’s what the party thinks is the best option, I think it’s doomed as a political entity. I would not waste my time having anything to do with it.