Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty stand with D-Day veteran Alec Penstone, 98, following the UK national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, held at the British Normandy Memorial.Rishi Sunak has been condemned for leaving commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day early so he could be interviewed by ITV.
The prime minister took the surprise decision to come home from France midway through the event, leaving foreign secretary David Cameron to represent the UK alongside world leaders including US president Joe Biden.
Sunak then sat down for a general election interview with ITV’s Tonight programme.
The channel last night released a clip of the interview with Paul Brand, in which the PM was grilled over Labour’s claims he lied about the party’s tax plans.
Tory HQ refused to comment on when the interview took place, but Brand told the News at Ten: “Today was the slot they offered us. We don’t know why.”
EXCL: In his first interview since Tuesday's debate, Sunak denies he is a "liar".
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) June 6, 2024
Starmer has repeatedly accused him of lying about Labour's tax plans.
“It’s desperate stuff. They are obviously very rattled", Sunak says.
Full iv Wed 7pm @ITVTonight.
pic.twitter.com/nPsci6DB83
Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth said: “The prime minister skipping off early from D-Day commemorations to record a television interview where he once again lied through his teeth is both an embarrassment and a total dereliction of duty.
“Our country deserves so much better than out-of-touch, desperate Rishi Sunak and his chaotic Tory Party.”
Conservative commentator Tim Montgomerie told the BBC’s Newsnight: “If he came back for a political interview from the D-Day commemoration, that is absolutely indefensible.”
He added: “This is going to be the last big commemoration when survivors will be present. I think it’s political malpractice of the highest order if Rishi Sunak absented himself for an election interview on ITV.”
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former British Army commander in Afghanistand the Mirror: “I know there is a general election campaign to fight but this is a very significant anniversary of a major military achievement which led to freedom in Europe.
“It’s being attended by some of the veterans who may never attend another due to their age. I think it was very important that he showed his commitment to it.
“He should have stayed. As the PM of our country he should have been there to represent the country and to show our gratitude to those who fell.”
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “One of the greatest privileges of the office of prime minister is to be there to honour those who served, yet Rishi Sunak abandoned them on the beaches of Normandy. He has brought shame to that office and let down our country.
“I am thinking right now of all those veterans and their families he left behind and the hurt they must be feeling. It is a total dereliction of duty and shows why this Conservative government just has to go.”
