June 7 (UPI) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologized on Friday for missing a portion of Thursday’s D-Day ceremony in France to return to Britain for a television interview.
Sunak said in a post on X that he returned to Britain after the British event in Normandy and said “it was a mistake not to stay in France longer.”
“This anniversary should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” he said. “The last thing I want is for the commemoration to be overshadowed by politics. I care deeply about veterans and have been honored 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.
Sunak was criticized for leaving the ceremony to take part in a prerecorded interview with ITV that is expected the air next week. Foreign Secretary David Cameron, a former British prime minister, replaced Sunak for the rest of the ceremony.
Paul Brand, ITV’s Britain editor, said it was Sunak’s team that picked the time for the interview.
“Today was the slot they offered us,” Brand said, according to Politico. “We don’t know why.”
Sunak and the Conservative Party will be fighting to stay in power in the upcoming July 4 election. The Labor Party is expected to make gains and some polls even have them taking over the British government.
“Choosing to prioritize his own vanity TV appearance over our veterans, it is yet more desperation, yet more chaos and yet more dreadful judgment from this out-of-touch prime minister,” Labor spokesperson Jonathan Ashworth, said.