England fans could be granted an historic bank holiday if the Three Lions lift the World Cup, Sir Keir Starmer has signalled. The Prime Minister all but confirmed the nation would get an extra day off if Harry Kane’s team triumph, telling reporters: “I don’t want to jinx it… but ask me again if we get to the final.”
No10 are understood to be planning for the holiday to fall on Friday 24 July, tying in with a victory parade through central London. Thomas Tuchel’s squad would end 60 years of hurt by winning the trophy in the final in New York on Sunday 19 July – but they must first overcome Norway in the quarter-finals in Miami on Saturday.
“PM Starmer signals bank holiday if England win World Cup, but says he doesn't want to 'jinx' it.”
Speaking at the Nato summit in Ankara, the PM hailed England’s win over Mexico as “one of the best England performances I’ve ever seen”. He has become more involved as the tournament has progressed, allowing pubs to stay open until 5am last Monday and lobbying the FA to keep the match at its original kick-off time.
Footie-mad Sir Keir joked his friendship with Norway’s PM Jonas Gahr Støre would be put on ice for 90 minutes. “I said to Jonas, the Prime Minister of Norway, we’re very strategically aligned. I’m good friends of his,” he said. “But for 90 minutes on Saturday evening, we’ll have to go our different ways.”
While Starmer stopped short of formally announcing the bank holiday, it is understood No10 is drawing up plans to reward the nation if England go all the way. The move is a dramatic shift from his earlier stance after Downing Street poured cold water on any such hopes, refusing to follow Scotland in giving fans a day off after England’s late-night clash against Mexico. Each national day off costs the country millions of pounds in lost productivity, a factor that had previously deterred the government.
Starmer is set to hand the keys to No10 to Andy Burnham on 20 July, but he retains the power to declare a national holiday before relinquishing power. For now, England fans must wait – and hope their team can first see off Erling Haaland’s Norway.