Brown to Take Part in D-day Events in U-turn Over Anniversary

Gordon Brown today responded to claims that the government was not honoring D-Day veterans by announcing that he would attend events to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Normandy landings this summer.

The prime minister told a news conference that the D-Day survivors were "part of a great generation of heroes" and that there would also be a service in Westminster Abbey to mark the anniversary.

He was responding to a question from the Daily Mail, which launched a campaign this week for the D-Day commemorations to receive full government support in response to suggestions that ministers were downplaying the significance of the 65th anniversary.

Last year, Kevan Jones, the veterans minister, said it was a "long-standing policy" to use public money only for landmark anniversaries 25, 50, 60 and 100 years after major events and earlier this week government officials were saying there were "no plans" for any minister to attend this summer's event in Normandy.

But today Brown said that he had been discussing the event with Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, at the EU summit in Brussels and that he would travel to France for the event.

"I want to be very much part of the commemoration of both D-Day and the huge contribution that British soldiers, I think 150,000, made in traveling to France and risking their lives for the freedom of Europe," said Brown.

"I hope that there will be a commemoration service in Westminster Abbey. I hope it will give us the chance to thank and remind ourselves of the sacrifice made by so many people who are part of a great generation of heroes for our country."

In a reference to his book Wartime Courage, which he wrote for charity, Brown also said that he had written "quite extensively" about this subject.

Earlier the Ministry of defense confirmed that the government would provide support for veterans who wanted to mark the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy this year.The MoD said it would make sure that there was "appropriate British attendance" and "provide support so that veterans can participate", but it did not say what form this support it would take.

An MoD spokesman said: "There is no question of the government's commitment to veterans and to full participation in an international commemoration of D-Day."

It is understood that Jones will meet members of the Normandy Veterans Association next week to discuss the issue.

The MoD spokesman added: "The government will make sure that there is appropriate British attendance, including ministerial representation, and will provide support so that veterans can participate.

"There is a significant British armed forces presence in Normandy every June and there will be again this year, including current members of units which fought on D-Day who will stand alongside veterans at wreath-laying ceremonies."

But in a Commons written answer last November to former shadow home secretary David Davis, Jones said: "I recognise the understandable desire of Normandy veterans to return to the beachheads each year.

"However the Ministry of Defence regularly receives requests from various different veterans' organisations seeking financial or other support for pilgrimages and events to commemorate the campaigns in which they took part.

"The vast majority are similarly worthy and could make an equally compelling case as the Normandy veterans, but it would be inappropriate to provide official support for one and not the others.

"This long-standing policy of successive governments was established after very careful consideration and its consistent application over the years has ensured a fairness and equality of treatment for everyone concerned.

"Consequently, there are no plans for the department to assist veterans returning to Normandy for the 65th anniversary of the landings in 2009."

Earlier this month, more than 300 people signed a petition on the Downing Street website which urged Gordon Brown "to give funding to those war veterans wishing to attend the 65th D-Day anniversary in Normandy".

The Normandy landings on 6 June 1944 saw thousands of Allied troops pour onto the beaches of occupied France and marked a strategic turning point in the war against Hitler's Germany.