Mrs Long said the debt to the veterans of the largest amphibious assault in history could never be repaid.
“The Allies fought bravely throughout World War II but never was that more evident than the D-Day landings. On June 6, 1944, over 156,000 Allied soldiers landed on Normandy’s beaches, unaware of just what precisely they would face. But thanks to their actions, a foothold was established on continental Europe and the tide was turned in the war.
“My thanks go out to every single veteran involved in D-Day and it was heartening to see so many taking part in the commemorations over the past few days. It is humbling to watch so many people pay tribute to their fight against tyranny, bigotry and fascism all those years ago.
“The commemorations of D-Day also remind us of the evil of fascism and how we must always be on our guard against it, particularly in the modern world. The biggest tribute we can pay to the veterans of D-Day is to ensure the values they fought for are held up by us all every single day.”