Keir Starmer is considering the possibility of declaring a special bank holiday for England fans in the event of a World Cup victory. The Prime Minister has hinted at the idea of granting a day off to celebrate if Thomas Tuchel’s team manages to break a 60-year championship drought.
During the Nato summit, Starmer, a keen football enthusiast, cautiously responded to inquiries about a potential bank holiday, indicating that he would entertain the idea if England were to reach the final match.
While Downing Street is actively exploring the proposal, specifics are still being ironed out. If implemented, the bank holiday is likely to occur on the Friday following the World Cup final, rather than automatically falling on the Monday after the event.
The initiative could coincide with a victory parade for the England squad, assuming they advance to the final and delay their return to the UK until the following Monday.
Earlier, the Scottish Government sanctioned a Bank Holiday following Scotland’s first World Cup match in nearly three decades, which commenced at 2 am. Starmer, previously in opposition, had advocated for an extra bank holiday if the Lionesses had secured victory in the Euros in 2022.
England’s momentum is growing as they prepare for a quarter-final clash with Norway after a thrilling win over Mexico. At the Nato summit in Turkey, Starmer engaged in good-natured banter with Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Stoere, donning their respective team’s jerseys for a photo op.
In a light-hearted exchange, Starmer mentioned the messages he had received urging him to challenge Jarrell Quansah’s red card, following Donald Trump’s lobbying for FIFA to reverse a ban on US player Folarin Balogun. Despite the pressure, Starmer clarified that he had not pursued any such action.
Reflecting on England’s recent performance, Starmer praised their strength and resilience against Mexico as one of the best displays he had witnessed. He acknowledged the strategic alignment with Norway but humorously acknowledged their competitive stance as the teams geared up for their upcoming match.
Over the weekend, Starmer intervened to maintain the original kick-off time for England’s match against Mexico and extended pub operating hours until 5 am to accommodate supporters.