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12 July 2024, 09:15
Is a Bank Holiday on the horizon if England makes history and wins the Euros this Sunday? Sir Keir Starmer certainly has an opinion on the matter.
It feels like the whole nation has jumped into action backing England in the Euros, especially after Ollie Watkins kicked the winning goal against the Netherlands in the semi-final.
With the finals just around the corner, we’ll get the chance to see Phil Foden and Harry Kane at the top of their game and maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll catch a glance of Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend, Tolami who’s redefining what it means to be a WAG.
While the odds are stacked against them, with Spain having won the Euros three times in the past, the nation can’t help but hope.
So if it actually happens and England makes history by taking home the Euros win - will the UK get a bank holiday? Here’s what we know.
The answer in short is; we don't know right now.
Rumours have swirled since Wednesday that a last-minute Bank Holiday could be put in place on the Monday following the Euro 2024 final, and we’re sure fans watching the game live from pubs around the country would appreciate it.
With the chance of England becoming European champions for the first time ever, supporters of the game think it’s more than necessary that the country celebrates with them with a day off.
While Sir Keir Starmer stated the UK should “certainly mark the occasion” if the win did happen, the Prime Minister decided against confirming a holiday saying he didn’t want to “jinx anything” by anticipating the result of the game before it actually happened.
“We should certainly mark the occasion, I don't want to jinx it. I went to the last Euros final, I don't want to go through that again,” he said.
“I don't want to jinx anything but we must mark it in some way. But the most important thing is getting it over the line on Sunday.”
Football fan, Sir Keir, has confirmed he’ll be attending the final on Sunday cheering on England, “So on we go now, great chance. I've always said this team were going to go all the way so I'm really, really pleased and just good luck for Sunday.”
Meanwhile, former English football player, Sir Geoff Hurst launched a Change.org petition urging King Charles III to give the nation a Bank Holiday.
“Your Majesty, with England so close to achieving greatness on Sunday, I couldn’t be prouder of the team, and I know the nation feels the same.”
“But this moment isn’t just about the team. It’s about England fans across the nation… Should England win, I respectfully ask Your Majesty to grant this Bank Holiday on Monday 15th July.”
“Let’s give every fan across this great nation the chance to properly toast the joint Champions of Europe.”
In 2022, the nation saw two one-off bank holidays added to the calendar for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and sadly later for her funeral.
In 2023 the King’s Coronation saw a Bank Holiday put in place, so will the same be seen for this monumental moment in history?
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