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Nigel Farage seized on Rishi Sunak’s blunder of returning early from a D-Day ceremony in France as the Reform UK leader was due to take part in a TV showdown with other senior party figures.
The Prime Minister apologised for flying back to the UK early to do a TV interview rather than stay longer in France with other world leaders to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
He faced a furious backlash over the decision from Tory party activists, opposition parties and some military figures.
The timing of the row also looked grim for the Conservatives ahead of the TV debate on BBC on Friday evening between Mr Farage, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt, herself having served as a Royal Navy reservist, Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, Deputy Liberal Democrat leader Daisy Cooper, Carla Denyer of the Green Party and Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru.
It was already looking likely to be a lively debate, possible more hard-hitting than the clash between Mr Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer on ITV on Tuesday evening.
But the D-Day row was expected to fuel the exchanges in Friday’s debate.
Ahead of it, Mr Farage said “patriotic people who love their country” should not vote for Mr Sunak after his early return from the D-Day events.
The Reform leader added said: “Rishi Sunak could not even be bothered to attend the international event above Omaha Beach. Who really believes in our people, him or me?”
The Prime Minister said “it was a mistake” not to stay in France for the international event after he had attended the earlier British ceremony in Normandy.
Instead, he flew back to do a TV interview in which he denied Labour claims that he had “lied” about what the Tories say is Sir Keir’s economic plans which they allege would mean a £2,000 tax hit on households.
The Conservative claim has been criticised by the UK’s statistics watchdog, independent fact checkers, and the Treasury has distanced itself from it.
The Prime Minister attended the UK national event at Portsmouth on Wednesday and then the British ceremony in Normandy on Thursday, the anniversary of the allied landings on D-Day.
But he left France before world leaders including US President Joe Biden gathered for the main international ceremony on Thursday afternoon.
Instead, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron was the senior UK minister at the event.
On Friday morning, Mr Sunak said: “I care deeply about veterans and have been honoured 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.
“After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer - and I apologise.”
Sir Keir said he was “surprised” by Mr Sunak’s decision to leave D-Day events early.
He added: “For me there was only one choice, which was to be there.”
Sir Keir also said he “took the opportunity” to talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he told there would be “no change in our support” for Kyiv under a Labour government.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Sunak’s actions had “brought shame” to the office of Prime Minister.
He told the Sun he understood the outrage but defended the Prime Minister’s record on veterans.
Mr Mercer said: “I get the outrage. It’s a mistake. It’s a significant mistake for which he’s apologised.
“But I’m also not going to join the howls of the fake veterans supporters who say he doesn’t treat veterans correctly, because it’s not correct.”
Reform has surged in the polls after Mr Farage’s U-turn to become leader, with one poll showing it just two points behind the Tories who trail Labour by around 20 points.
Many Tory candidates are alarmed that Mr Farage’s intervention could make it harder for them to win seats, including in the so-called “Red Wall” in the North and Midlands.
