Rishi Sunak will miss the major international ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day but Sir Keir Starmer will mingle with world leaders at the Omaha Beach event.
The Prime Minister is attending events in Normandy including speaking at the major British ceremony, but will not be present alongside leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron and US President Joe Biden at the international gathering.
With the General Election campaign in full swing, the Tory leader will head back to the UK – but his rival Sir Keir will be at the high-profile international event in Normandy.
A Tory source played down the diplomatic impact of the PM’s absence, pointing out he will see Mr Macron, Mr Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other key leaders at the G7 summit in Italy next week.
The Prince of Wales and senior ministers will represent the UK at the international event, joining more than 25 heads of state and veterans for the official ceremony on Omaha Beach, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer.
Mr Sunak said: “The heroism and sacrifice of those that fought on D-Day, 80 years ago, changed the course of history.
“Their daring landings, the scale of which the world has never seen before or after, began the march to victory for the allied forces of freedom against the tyranny that had engulfed Europe.
“Because of their historic service we are able to come together as a free nation to commemorate D-Day with pride.”
Sir Keir said: “It is a privilege to stand with surviving D-Day veterans in Normandy today as we mark this historic anniversary. We will commemorate their courage, we will honour their fallen comrades and we will ensure that their story is never forgotten.
“Our debt to them can never repaid in full. But we can – and must – honour their sacrifice. This goes beyond party politics. This is about who we are as a nation. This is our story, our history, our identity – and our future together.”