Conservative British PM faces backlash after skipping D-Day event and going on TV

British Prime Minister Rish Sunak apologized Friday after he left D-Day commemorations in Normandy, France, early and went on TV for an interview.

The move sparked backlash at home and appeared to be yet another setback for Sunak's Conservative Party, which is down in opinion polls against Keir Starmer's Labour Party.

"On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay longer, and I've apologized 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."

Starmer remained in Normandy for the duration of events that commemorated the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, which Britain's King Charles and President Biden attended. The Labour leader was seen talking to several world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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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.

His decision to leave the event early was reportedly made weeks in advance, before the general election was called, according to the BBC. But his campaign failed to consider the optics of the U.K. leader ditching D-Day commemorations to go on TV and criticize the opposition.

A Conservative politician who asked not to be identified told Reuters, "I can't explain it and I won't."

The lawmaker said it could become the "Gillian Duffy moment" — a reference to 2010 when Gordon Brown, who was then prime minister, apologized for being caught on tape calling a voter "a bigoted woman", a moment