By William James and Andrew Macaskill, Reuters
Rishi Sunak, left, is pictured alongside Queen Camilla, King Charles, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at a wreath-laying ceremony in Normandy marking 80 years since D-Day. Photo: AFP/Gareth Fuller
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suffered a fresh setback in his struggling election campaign on Friday when he apologised for leaving D-Day commemorations early in order to give an interview attacking the main opposition party.
Sunak's decision not to stay at the event in northern France alongside other world leaders on Thursday was met with dismay within his Conservative Party which is facing the prospect of a huge defeat on 4 July, according to opinion polls.
The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, remained in Normandy for the duration of the D-Day 80th anniversary events and was seen talking to leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
"On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay longer, and I've apologised for that, but I also don't think it's right to be political in the midst of D-Day commemorations," Sunak told reporters.
"The focus should rightly be on the veterans."
Sunak said his travel plans had been set long before the start of the national election campaign.
US President Joe Biden, Britain's King Charles and other leaders gathered to mark the anniversary of the allied landings, a turning point in World War II.
Sunak spoke at a British-led event but delegated other duties to ministers including Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who was pictured with Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a memorial ceremony.
Sunak greets a World War II veteran before leaving the commemorations early. Photo: AFP/Ludovic Marin
Asked for his response to Sunak's mistake, one normally loyal Conservative politician told Reuters: "I can't explain it and I won't."
The lawmaker, who asked not to be identified, said Sunak's decision could end up becoming the "Gillian Duffy moment" of the campaign - a reference to 2010 when then-prime minister Gordon Brown had to apologise for being caught on tape calling a voter "a bigoted woman", seen as a turning point in a campaign Brown ultimately lost.
Sunak's Conservative Party is lagging about 20 points behind the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls.
His campaign got off to a bad start last month when he announced the election date under a downpour of rain, competing to be heard against Labour supporters blaring a pop song associated with the party's crushing 1997 election victory.
This week he suffered another setback when Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage took over leadership of the right-wing Reform UK party and said he would stand in the election.
'Political pain'
Sunak has tried to portray himself as the person best placed to look after Britain's security and he recently pledged to introduce mandatory national service if he wins the election.
Chris Hopkins, political research director at the polling company Savanta, said Sunak was already seen by voters as out of touch.
The latest "political misjudgement seems almost laser-guided in causing Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party as much political pain as humanly possible", he said.
Senior Labour spokesman Jonathan Ashworth accused Sunak of "choosing to prioritise his own vanity TV appearances over our veterans", and "it is yet more desperation, yet more chaos, and yet more dreadful judgement".
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey accused the prime minister of a "total dereliction of duty".
In the interview with ITV on Thursday, Sunak doubled down on claims this week that if Labour win power they would raise taxes by £2000 (NZ$4145) per household.
Labour denies it has any such plan, and accused Sunak of lying for claiming the estimate came from the civil service, which has said it did not endorse it. The head of Britain's statistical watchdog said on Thursday the Conservatives should be clearer about the source of Sunak's claims.
- Reuters