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Rishi Sunak Apologizes For Skipping A D-Day Ceremony To Return To The Election Campaign Trail

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LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologized Friday for abandoning D-Day commemorations in France early to return to the election campaign road, a decision condemned as shameful by his political opponents.

Sunak, struggling to keep his post in Britain’s July 4 election, admitted that the decision was a mistake “on reflection”.

Sunak was absent at Thursday’s huge commemoration gathering at Omaha Beach in Normandy, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Former Prime Minister David Cameron, now the Foreign Minister, represented the United Kingdom.

Rishi Sunak | AP News Image

Rishi Sunak Apologizes For Skipping A D-Day Ceremony To Return To The Election Campaign Trail

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, currently favored to win the election, attended and was photographed with Zelenskyy and other leaders.

Sunak had previously attended a ceremony at the British memorial in Normandy with King Charles III and surviving World War II veterans and a ceremony in Portsmouth, England, the previous day.

Sunak stated on X, formerly Twitter, that the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion that helped liberate Europe from the Nazis “should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.” “I don’t want politics to overshadow the commemorations.”

He continued: “On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer — and I apologise,” he stated in his letter.

Rishi Sunak | AP News Image

Rishi Sunak Apologizes For Skipping A D-Day Ceremony To Return To The Election Campaign Trail

The prime minister gave an interview to ITV on Thursday after returning from France, although he denied that was the reason he cut short his trip.

Sunak said he “stuck to the itinerary” for D-Day weeks before calling the election.

“On reflection it was a mistake not to stay longer and I’ve apologized for that, but I also don’t think it’s right to be political in the midst of D-Day commemorations,” he stated. “The focus should rightly be on the veterans and their service and sacrifice for our country.”

Sunak denied claims that he lied by making false statements regarding the opposition Labour Party’s tax intentions in an interview broadcast by ITV.

Starmer stated, “Rishi Sunak will have to answer for his choice” to forgo the D-Day celebration.

“For me, there was only one choice…. There was nowhere else I was going to be,” Starmer told reporters.

Sunak’s decision to forgo the ceremony was deemed “a total dereliction of duty” by Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey.

Nigel Farage, leader of the populist Reform U.K. party, stated that “patriotic people who love their country” should not vote for Sunak. Farage’s populist, anti-immigrant stances are intended to sway Conservative voters. He is anticipated to bring up the D-Day incident in a seven-party televised discussion later Friday. All of the major parties will be represented; however, Sunak and Starmer are not expected to attend.

Rishi Sunak | AP News Image

Rishi Sunak Apologizes For Skipping A D-Day Ceremony To Return To The Election Campaign Trail

Craig Oliver, former communications director for Cameron’s Conservative government, stated, “the problem for Rishi Sunak this morning is he’s accused of not understanding what it is to be a prime minister and what his duties are as a prime minister.”

All 650 seats in the House of Commons will be up for grabs on July 4. The party leader that can command a majority, whether alone or in alliance, will be appointed Prime Minister.

Ken Hay, 98, a D-Day veteran, claimed Sunak’s choice to “bail out” let the country down.

“I don’t have a great regard for politicians,” Hay told Sky News.

SOURCE – (AP)

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics. Kiara delivers insightful analyses that resonate with tech enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Her articles strike a balance between in-depth coverage and accessibility, making them a go-to resource for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest innovations shaping our digital world.

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Keir Starmer Rejects Meeting With WW2 Veteran Over Her Frozen Pension

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"It's the injustice of it that is so unfair, the fact that we were never warned."

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has rejected a request from a 99-year-old WW2 for a meeting to discuss the frozen state pension policy for citizens living abroad. Starmer declined the meeting but offered an alternative meeting with Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds.

Anne Puckridge, who turns 100 this month, went from her home in Canada to agitate Keir Starmer’s Labour government over the state pension freeze.

The World War II veteran told the BBC that she is “angry” and “heartbroken” following a meeting with the pensions minister, who led her to believe that the government will not reconsider its policy of freezing the state pensions of some British people living abroad.

Anne Puckridge is one of approximately 453,000 British retirees living overseas who do not receive an annual increase in their state pension.

Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds agreed to a meeting after Sir Keir Starmer’s request to meet was denied owing to purported “pressures on his diary.”

Ms. Puckridge stated that the meeting in Parliament left her feeling “bitterly disappointed” and “disgusted”.

She stated that she had the idea Reynolds had been “polite enough and kind enough to come in and spend her time with her,” but that her mind had already been made up before the meeting began.

Ms Puckridge stated that she and her other campaigners would have to think carefully about what they could do from now on, but she assured them that they would take action.

State Pension Minister Reynolds thanked Ms Puckridge for the meeting and for sharing her insights.

A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) representative stated that the government recognizes that “people move abroad for various reasons, and we provide clear information on how this can affect their pensions.”

The policy of increasing the UK state pension for recipients living abroad has existed for many years.

Since she relocated to Canada in 2001 at the age of 76 to live closer to her daughter, Ms Puckridge has received £72.50 (C$129.00) per week.

Her state pension is now less than half the £169.50 (C$302.00) paid to seniors still residing in the United Kingdom. She told the BBC that frozen pensions touch all aspects of life.

“You’ve got to be careful about entertainment,” she told me. “You must realize that you cannot be as kind to your grandkids as you would like.

“You feel you’ve lost all sense of dignity, the government has thrown you away, you know, out of sight out of mind.”

Ms. Puckridge stated that when she alerted the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that she was moving to Canada, “they never said a word about [my] pension being frozen”.

“The first I knew about it was when my first rise was due,” she recalled.

“I didn’t understand it. So I wrote and enquired about it, and I was told no… you will not receive any additional pension rises when you leave the UK.” She said, “It’s the injustice of it that is so unfair, the fact that we were never warned.”

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Air Force Drones Spotted Over UK Military Bases

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The drones were not considered hostile, the USAF said,

British military expertise has been brought in to assist in identifying persons responsible for flying Air Force drones near US military locations. According to the BBC, 60 RAF troops have been dispatched to assist the US Air Force with its probe.

The Air Force drones were not deemed hostile, according to the USAF, who added that the sightings “fluctuated and varied between the bases” and “ranged in sizes and configurations”.

According to the Ministry of Defence, “We are supporting the US Air Force response.”

The announcement follows several recent reports of unmanned aerial vehicles sighted near RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in adjacent Norfolk.

There have been other reports of drone activity overnight. According to the USAF, the vehicles were few in number and modest in size.

A representative for the US Air Forces in Europe stated, “We can confirm that there were sightings yesterday during nighttime hours, but the number fluctuated and varied between the bases throughout the night.”

The official stated that since the first sightings on November 20th, there has been “no impact on residents or infrastructure, and they have not been identified as hostile.”

However, the Air Force drones remained under surveillance “to ensure the safety and security of the installations.”

They said, “We request individuals in the area to contact either local police or security forces if they see anything suspicious.”

Treat threats seriously’

Officials in the United States and the United Kingdom have not said who is responsible for the recent drone activity.

However, the BBC understands there were worries that a state actor could be involved.

In recent months, intelligence officials have warned of increasing Russian sabotage operations against Western countries supporting Ukraine.

RAF Mildenhall is primarily home to the USAF’s 100th Air Refuelling Wing; RAF Lakenheath is home to USAF F-35A and F-15E fighter jets; and RAF Feltwell is mainly concerned with logistics and provides housing for military personnel.

A spokesman for the MoD, which owns the bases, said: “We take threats seriously and maintain robust measures at defence sites.

“We are supporting the US Air Force response.”

The USAF has not said who it believed to be behind the incidents.

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General Election Petition in UK Hits 2 Million Signatures

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Starmer has ruled out an general election after a petition reached two million signatures

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has ruled out holding an early general election after a petition calling for a second vote garnered two million signatures.

Over the weekend, a petition calling for another general election was started on the UK Parliament website. It cited Starmer’s failure to keep all his pledges made in the run-up to the previous election. By Monday mid-morning, it had surpassed two million signatures.

When asked about the petition, Starmer said he was “not surprised” that some individuals who did not vote for Labour in the previous election want a “re-run” of the poll.

He claimed that he had “inherited a lot of problems” from the previous administration and had resolved to “take the hard decisions first.”

Starmer ruled out an early general election, stating that only the Prime Minister can request that the King call a general election; it simply will not happen, he said.

This petition, started last week and sponsored by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, calls on the government to schedule a new general election.
To sign a petition, you must verify that you are a British citizen or resident and provide a postcode.

The petition states, “I would prefer there to be another general election. I believe the present Labour government has broken the pledges they made before the last election.”

The petition comes only five months after Labour won the July general election with 9.7 million votes and 412 seats in the House of Commons.

However, the Labour Party garnered only 35% of the vote, the lowest percentage gained by a single-party administration since the conclusion of WWII.

Some of the policies implemented by Starmer and his Labour government have received significant criticism, including an inheritance tax on farms, a reduction in winter heating payments, an increase in employers’ national insurance, and applying VAT to private school fees.

According to the most recent Ipsos political pulse poll, the Labour Party is unpopular, with 28% of the public favoring it and 49% opposing it.

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