British prime minister Rishi Sunak has apologised after skipping a major international ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day in order to carry out an election TV interview.

Mr Sunak said “it was a mistake” not to stay in France for the international event after he had attended the earlier British ceremony in Normandy.

He has come under intense criticism after it emerged he missed the event with fellow world leaders to head back to the UK for an ITV interview.

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.”

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.

The 80th anniversary of D-Day has been a profound moment to honour the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our values, our freedom and our democracy.

This anniversary should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The last thing…

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) June 7, 2024

But he left France before world leaders including US president Joe Biden gathered for the main international ceremony on Thursday afternoon.

Instead, British foreign secretary David Cameron was the senior UK minister at the event.

It was also an opportunity for Mr Sunak’s rival for the keys to No 10, Labour leader Keir Starmer to mingle with world leaders on the global stage.

In his apology on Friday, Mr Sunak said: “The 80th anniversary of D-Day has been a profound moment to honour the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our values, our freedom and our democracy.

“This anniversary should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The last thing I want is for the commemorations to be overshadowed by politics.”

Mr Sunak was condemned by political rivals and the decision has also caused unease in Tory ranks.

Mr Sunak’s apology came while a junior minister, David Johnston, was touring broadcast studios in London, struggling to defend Mr Sunak’s decision.

On Times Radio he was confronted with a message from one Conservative activist who said they “wonder whether I should bother” going out to knock doors for the party “when the prime minister seems to be doing all he can to lose the election”.

Craig Oliver, who was David Cameron’s communications chief, said Mr Sunak stood accused of “not getting what it is to be prime minister”.

The D-Day events were known about long before Mr Sunak called the British general election.

“I think if you’re planning these things, you’ve got to say ‘look, that’s going to block the prime minister out’. It’s a very important moment for the country. But it’s also a very important moment to show that you’re being prime ministerial,” Mr Oliver told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“And the problem for Rishi Sunak this morning is he’s accused of not getting what it is to be a prime minister and what his duties are as a prime minister.”

Mr Oliver also criticised the Tory campaign for sending colleagues out without knowing “what to say” about Mr Sunak’s actions.

“It was pretty clear that the Conservative campaign was going to be massively on the backfoot today,” he said.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said Mr Sunak’s actions had brought shame to the office of prime minister.

“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,” Mr Davey said.

“He has brought shame to that office and let down our country.

“I am thinking right now of all those veterans and their families he left behind and the hurt they must be feeling. It is a total dereliction of duty and shows why this Conservative Government just has to go.”

Mr Sunak sat down with ITV on Thursday to defend claims he had made about Labour’s tax plans, having left commemoration events in France before the gathering of the world leaders on Omaha Beach.

The broadcaster said the timing of the interview, which will not be aired in full until next week, had been offered by the Conservatives.

He had appeared in Normandy earlier in the day to pay tribute to veterans but returned to Britain before the ceremony was over, while his rival Mr Starmer remained alongside Mr Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s Prince .

It later emerged that Mr Sunak had given a broadcast interview on the same day, a clip of which was shared by broadcaster Paul Brand.

Mr Brand told ITV News At Ten: “Today was the slot we were offered … we don’t know why.”