Rishi Sunak has apologised for leaving D-day anniversary events early to take part in a TV interview, admitting it was “a mistake not to stay in France longer”.
The prime minister had been heavily criticised for allowing the foreign secretary, David Cameron, to take his place in the late afternoon ceremony at Omaha beach on Thursday, while he left Normandy to do a prerecorded ITV segment to be broadcast next week.
On Friday, the prime minister said on X: “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.”
Conservative activists reacted with fury at the sight of Cameron standing alongside the French, German and US leaders, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Joe Biden, with one saying it had left them questioning whether to “bother to continue campaigning”.
I’m afraid I’m referring to his Indian heritage. Although, to be fair, I have not done the research to find out whether his grandparents / greats were in the UK at the time or indeed participated in WWII in Europe.
He is of Punjabi descent and the Indian Army contributed in a major way during WW2 - it’s often aid that we’d have lost without them. The bulk fought the Japanese (which include some huge brutal battles - the Stalingrad of the East) but they were active in the European, North African and Pacific theatres of war.
There were 300 Indian soldiers evacuated from Dunkirk, almost all Muslims from the Punjab. It became an issue when Christopher Nolan released his film about it and left them out, despite them being evacuated from the pier in the film.
Sepoy Kamal Ram of the 8th Punjab Regiment received the Victoria Cross for his bravery in the push on Monte Cassino. One of 31 issued to Indians in WW2, a number handed out for the Italian campaign (with the Ghurka Rifles and Mahratta Light Infantry getting a few each).
I couldn’t find anything on his actual ancestors being involved (some seem to have been in East Africa at the time) but with such a large mobilisation of Indian troops in WW2, he will have had relatives involved in the conflict.
Great, thank you. Good to know. I’ll file that away in the old bonce.
I’ll withdraw my statement on the off chance that his family did in fact take part.
He’s still an entitled twat and utterly out of touch, but that’s another argument.