Biden and Macron mark 80th D-Day anniversary in Normandy
Nigel Farage has slammed Rishi Sunak after the Prime Minister failed to attend this afternoon’s D-Day reception of leaders at Omaha Beach in Normandy.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, this afternoon, the Reform UK leader fumed: “The Prime Minister has ducked out of the international D-Day event to fly back to the UK to campaign.
"I am here in Normandy in a personal capacity because I think it matters. Does he?”
Mr Sunak attended this morning’s main ceremonial event, marking a temporary pause to the election campaign.
Mr Sunak joined the King and Queen, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron and British veterans.
He delivered a short speech and led a “heroes’ welcome” for veterans at the British Normandy memorial, before joining their majesties at the Winston Churchill Education and Learning Centre.
However, unlike Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, who is staying in France this afternoon for a meeting of more than 25 heads of state from around the world at the official international ceremony, Mr Sunak is departing the major event earlier.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps is standing in for him instead.
Mr Farage has bombarded social media over the last day with memorial posts for the historic 80th D-Day anniversary.
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Yesterday, he met soldiers and even rode a tank, describing the atmosphere as “almost celebratory”. However, he acknowledged that today’s events would be “very different” in tone.
This morning, he said he felt “honoured to be in Normandy” for the big anniversary.
Mr Farage, who announced this week that he was returning to frontline politics to lead Reform and stand in Clacton, has set out his plans to hammer the Conservatives at the election as retribution for what he calls the Tories' failures over the past 14 years.
Today’s brutal attack on Mr Sunak over his early departure from the international event aims to whip up more anti-Conservative feelings among his target voters.
A poll yesterday showed Reform UK now just two points behind the Conservatives, with Mr Farage ominously warning: “We’re just getting started.”
However, the Conservatives are warned waverers that choosing anyone other than Mr Sunak is a vote for Sir Keir Starmer and will risk higher migration and undoing Brexit.
This morning, Mr Sunak shared a poignant photo of him and his wife observing a World War 2 plane flying overhead, captioned: “We will always remember the heroes who fought and died for our freedom.”
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