Al Jazeera :
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has apologised for leaving international D-Day commemorations in France early so he could do a television interview as part of his campaign for the United Kingdom’s election next month.
The leader of the ruling Conservative Party posted an apology on X on Friday after coming in for intense criticism from across the political spectrum for ducking out from the ceremony the previous day.
“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,” he said.
World leaders including Sunak, United States President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macro, had gathered on Thursday in Normandy, northern France, to mark the 80th anniversary of the allied landings, a turning point in World War II.
Sunak spoke at a British-led event at Ver-sur-Mer but delegated other duties to ministers including Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who was pictured with Biden, Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a later memorial ceremony at Omaha beach, in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer.
News reports said Sunak left France early in order to conduct an interview with British broadcaster ITV News that is not due to air until Wednesday. The Conservative Party is lagging about 20 points behind the main opposition Labour Party in opinion polls ahead of the July 4 election. The Conservatives’ political opponents were quick to criticise Sunak for leaving early.