Ministers should step in to directly fund the cost of travel for war heroes hoping to return to the Normandy beaches this year for the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Kemi Badenoch has said.
Veterans groups have been expressing concern that some who fought in the Second World War cannot afford to travel to northern France for VE Day and D-Day commemorations next month.
Earlier this week, the Department for Culture Media and Sport suggested no funding would be available, saying: "Funding is for UK government events and not provided for overseas events."
Veterans minister Alistair Carns then clarified the position, saying that "the Government will work with veterans' charities to ensure Second World War veterans can travel to commemorations this summer".
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, told GB News today that this did not go far enough, and that the Government should step in to pay for the costs directly
GB News
However Badenoch, the Conservative leader, told GB News today that this did not go far enough, and that the Government should step in to pay for the costs directly.
Asked if "the Government should put money aside" to pay for the veterans' overseas trips, Badenoch said: "I think so.
"There's only so much longer that they will be able to do this.
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"And this is one of the areas where I believe that Labour actually did say they would do that. It's yet another broken promise."
It is understood that fewer than 200 British Second World War veterans are still alive, with only a small amount who saw action on D-Day on June 6, 1944 remaining.
Spirit of Normandy Trust is taking seven veterans back to Normandy, while the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans is taking 25 heroes to Holland for the 80th anniversary of Dutch liberation on May 5 and to Northern France to honour D-Day the month after.
