Penny Mordaunt said the Prime Minister’s decision to leave the D-Day 80th anniversary events early to record a General Election campaign TV interview was “completely wrong”.
Ms Mordaunt, a Navy reservist, said it was right that Rishi Sunak apologised not only to veterans but to the public.
During the seven-way BBC debate on Friday, the Commons leader said: “What happened was completely wrong, and the Prime Minister has rightly apologised for that, apologised to veterans but also to all of us, because he was representing all of us.
“I’m from Portsmouth, I have also been defence secretary and my wish is at the end of this week is that all of our veterans feel completely treasured.”
Asked if she would have left Normandy early as Mr Sunak did on Thursday, Ms Mordaunt said: “I didn’t go to D-Day, I think what happened was very wrong, I think the Prime Minister has apologised for that.
“But what I also think is important is we honour their legacy, they fought for our freedom, and unless we are spending the right amount on defence we can’t honour that legacy.”
The Prime Minister apologised for his decision to leave France before a major international ceremony to mark the anniversary of the Allied landings but urged people not to politicise the event.
He admitted that “on reflection” he should have stayed for the event where world leaders including US President Joe Biden marked the sacrifice made by troops landing on the Normandy beaches in 1944.
Ms Mordaunt, who has represented Portsmouth North since 2010 and is standing for re-election, is one of the prominent figures who are projected to lose their seats at the next election.
