Corbyn snubs Passchendaele tribute to enjoy cycling holiday
JEREMY Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon have provoked outrage by snubbing this week’s commemorations to mark 100 years since Passchendaele.
The Labour and SNP leaders chose to remain on holiday while Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Ypres.
Unlike Theresa May, who broke off her holiday to attend the events in memory of the fallen in one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War, Mr Corbyn – who once said he wanted to abolish the Army – was apparently seen cycling in Croatia.
Twitter users reported that they had spotted the Labour leader, who instead sent little-known shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith to honour the more than 325,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who fell.
Yesterday, Tory MP David Morris said: “It’s a terrible shame Jeremy Corbyn and his allies chose not to attend this important event. The date should not only have been in his diary but seared in his heart, as it is for anyone who loves this country and respects the sacrifice made by so many.”
Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said: “His priorities are incompatible with being Prime Minister of our country. The heir to the throne was there. The PM broke her holiday to attend and she’s under a lot more pressure than Jeremy Corbyn.
“She got her priorities right. That is what public service is like. It is about sacrifice. These commemorations remind us of the sacrifice of tens of thousands of service personnel.”
Ms Sturgeon is also taking a break after a catastrophic year in which she lost half a million votes for the SNP and had to retreat from plans for a second independence referendum.
She sent deputy John Swinney but he made matters worse by choosing to wear an SNP badge on his lapel instead of the poppy that most of the other guests wore. A Scottish Tory spokesman hit out at the gaffe saying: “All politicians should reflect that when attending commemorations on behalf of the nation there should be no place for party political insignia.
“It is a small but an important distinction.
“The sacrifice of those who died was for their country – not for any political creed.” The battle also has a poignant place in Scottish history because all the Scottish divisions were involved.
Last night, a Labour source said: “Jeremy was invited to the Passchendaele commemoration but was unable to attend so Nia represented him.”