UK’s Sunak apologizes for leaving D-Day events early to campaign

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suffered a fresh setback in his struggling election campaign on Friday when he apologized 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 July 4, 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 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.”

Sunak said his travel plans had been set long before the start of the national election campaign.

U.S. 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 Two.

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.

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