A Labour MP has been accused of barging into a historic D-Day cafe and helping herself to the food.Amanda Martin was visiting Normandy to mark the anniversary of the World War II battle.The Portsmouth North MP is said to have barged into the Café Gondrée, located next to Pegasus Bridge in Bénouville and the first place liberated by the Allies during the landings in 1944.In a further blow to Andy Burnham’s party, fellow Labour backbencher Samantha Niblett missed the ferry over to France, according to The Sun.
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She was then reported to have clashed with the organisers of the commemorative event.Both Ms Martin and Ms Niblett were then reprimanded by the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.It is understood they met with the Speaker, but neither characterised the conversation as a reprimand; rather, it was to discuss the misunderstanding.The Speaker’s Office declined to comment when approached by GB News.A source told the Sun the incident was “quite embarrassing”.Both backbenchers were understood to believe the episodes are “misunderstandings” and insist they did not misbehave.GB News understands both MPs dispute the claims made.A Labour spokesman said: “Both MPs were honoured to visit France with the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, which provides a valuable insight into military life and the brave work our servicemen and women do to keep Britain safe.”LATEST DEVELOPMENTSNearly 2,000 prison cells sit empty amid fire risk as PM proposes putting men in women’s jailsAndy Burnham urges all retailers to BAN disposable BBQs in warning over more summer wildfiresThousands head to the polls in Clacton as Nigel Farage contests by-election a month after resigningMs Martin became the MP for Portsmouth North in the July 2024 general election, defeating former Conservative cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt.Before entering Parliament, she worked as a teacher for 24 years and served as president of the National Education Union.The French cafe hosts an annual service of remembrance and champagne toast to honour veterans and liberators.On June 5, 1944, British 6th Airborne Division troops secured the nearby bridge and entered the cafe.Owners Georges and Thérèse Gondrée used the cafe to gather intelligence from German occupants and pass it to British spies.The family famously buried 99 bottles of champagne under their vegetable garden to keep them from the Nazis.They later unearthed them to toast their British liberators.The family continues to celebrate the historic midnight toast with champagne to preserve the memory of the Allied airborne assault.Arlette Gondrée who hosts the yearly commemorative gatherings at the site, was four years old during the liberation.GB News has also approached Ms Martin for further comment.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter