Rishi Sunak apologizes for skipping a D-Day ceremony to return to the election campaign trail

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has apologized for leaving D-Day commemorations in France early to fly home for an election campaign television interview. Sunak was not alongside leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden for the major memorial event at Omaha Beach in Normandy on Thursday. He had attending an earlier event before returning to the U.K., where he recorded a television interview. The decision has drawn wide political condemnation. Sunak said Friday that “on reflection” it was a mistake. Opposition Labour lawmaker Jonathan Ashworth said the decision showed “dreadful judgment” by Sunak. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said it was “a total dereliction of duty.”