Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing growing criticism from both opposition leaders and his own party members after leaving the D-Day commemoration events in Normandy prematurely yesterday. Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, and Matthew Pennycook, Shadow Housing Minister, have both condemned Sunak’s actions, calling it a “dereliction of duty.”

Davey took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his disapproval. “One of the greatest privileges of the office of prime minister is to be there to honour those who served, yet Rishi Sunak abandoned them on the beaches of Normandy,” Davey wrote. “It is a total dereliction of duty and shows why this Conservative government just has to go.”

The prime minister’s decision to leave the commemorations early has also drawn criticism from Labour’s Matthew Pennycook, who labeled the move as “embarrassing” and a further example of poor leadership. Speaking to Sky News, Pennycook remarked, “I’m glad he’s apologised, because it was absolutely a mistake. It’s not just the fact that the prime minister left those D-Day commemoration services – perhaps the last commemoration services for many of the veterans who attended – but the reason why he left those services… [was] to come back [to the UK] and pre-record an interview where he doubled down on a proven lie about the Labour Party’s intentions if it forms the next government.”

Pennycook highlighted that Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, remained at the services, contrasting his actions with those of Sunak. “I think it’s embarrassing. I think it’s a shameful dereliction of duty – he’s right to apologise,” Pennycook added.

Prime Minister Sunak’s office has issued a statement acknowledging the early departure and offering apologies to the veterans and their families. However, the backlash from political figures and the public indicates that the incident has struck a nerve, especially given the solemn nature of the D-Day commemorations and the aging veteran population.

As the criticism mounts, it remains to be seen how this will impact Sunak’s standing both within his party and with the broader electorate, many of whom view the annual D-Day commemorations as a deeply significant and respectful tradition.