Ministers are considering calling a bank holiday if England wins the FIFA World Cup, with the most likely date for the national day off understood to be Friday, July 24—five days after Sunday’s final. The Three Lions face Argentina in the semi-final on Wednesday following a dramatic 2-1 win over Norway in extra time on Saturday night. If Thomas Tuchel’s side triumphs against the South Americans, they will face either Spain or tournament favourites France in the final.
Prime Minister Hints at Bank Holiday
Sir Keir Starmer has hinted there could be an extra bank holiday if England come home winners. The Prime Minister told reporters at the Nato summit last week: “I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final.” However, Andy Burnham, who looks set to take over from Sir Keir as Prime Minister on Monday, July 20, would not be drawn on whether he would agree to a bank holiday earlier this month.
Burnham and Badenoch Express Reservations
Burnham told LBC: “I’m an Evertonian, I do not ever back anything when it comes to football, I don’t do it with England either. I think they’ve got a bit of improvement to do before we can start seriously dreaming of it coming home.” Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch said she would probably not back a bank holiday if England wins, arguing that the “private sector would still be working and the public sector would take the day off.” The Tory leader told a Politics UK event last week: “Probably not. Sadly, we all know what would happen with a bank holiday – the private sector would still be working and the public sector would take the day off, and you’d all have to pay for it. This Conservative Party is very much about common sense. Party hard but work hard too, that is my motto.”
Uncertainty Over UK-Wide Application
It is not clear whether the extra bank holiday would only apply in England or across the UK, as the four nations have different allowances. Scotland has already enjoyed a national day off after the country qualified for its first World Cup since 1998 this year.
