UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hints that Brits could get extra UK Bank Holiday - but under one condition
Topics: UK News, Holiday, Football, World Cup, Keir Starmer
Rhiannon Ingle
Featured Image Credit: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
Topics: UK News, Holiday, Football, World Cup, Keir Starmer
An extra bank holiday could be on the cards for Brits this month, but it all depends on one very big result.
I think we all know where this one is going, eh?
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested England's men's team could be rewarded with a national day off if they go all the way and lift the World Cup trophy.
The Three Lions booked their place in the quarter-finals after a dramatic win over Mexico on Monday (6 July), and now face Norway this weekend (11 July) for a place in the last four.
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Speaking to reporters at the NATO summit on Wednesday (8 July), Starmer was asked whether he would support a bank holiday if England were crowned world champions.
He replied: "I don't want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final."
England haven't won the World Cup since 1966, and victory in this year's tournament would mark their first title in 60 years.
With the final set to take place next Sunday (19 July), reports suggest the following Friday (24 July) has been earmarked as the most likely date for a celebratory bank holiday if England bring football home, per PA.
Starmer clearly couldn't resist a bit of friendly football rivalry while attending the summit in Ankara, where he met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre ahead of Saturday's showdown.
He said: "I'm a good friend of his. The Norway-UK relationship is as strong as it's ever been, and he's a key individual in the coalitions that we've been building. But for 90 minutes on Saturday evening, we'll have to go our different ways as we go into that match."
The Prime Minister also said he had been flooded with requests to intervene after Jarell Quansah was sent off against Mexico, following reports that US President Donald Trump persuaded FIFA to suspend Folarin Balogun's ban ahead of America's clash with Belgium.
"I can't tell you how many messages I've had to rescind the red card that we received in the early hours of Monday," Starmer said. "I hasten to add, I haven't attempted to do that."
Meanwhile, thousands of England supporters are expected to head to Miami for the quarter-final, with many still buzzing after Monday night's unforgettable victory.
France will be taking on Morocco later today (9 July) while Spain will play against Belgium on Friday (10 July).
The day after England's match, Argentina will play against Switzerland on Sunday (12 July).
Round of 16 - Match 94: USA vs Belgium, 1-4
Round of 16 - Match 95: Argentina vs Egypt, 3-2
Round of 16 - Match 96: Switzerland vs Colombia, 0-0 (4-3 on penalties)
Round of 16 - Match 92: Mexico vs England, 2-3
Round of 16 - Match 93: Portugal vs Spain, 0-1
Round of 16 - Match 91: Brazil vs Norway, 1-2
Round of 32 - Match 87: Colombia vs Ghana, 1-0
Round of 16 - Match 90: Canada vs Morocco, 0-3
Round of 16 - Match 89: Paraguay vs France, 0-1
Round of 32 - Match 83: Portugal vs Croatia, 2-1
Round of 32 - Match 85: Switzerland vs Algeria, 2-0
Round of 32 - Match 88: Australia vs Egypt, 1-1 (2-4 on penalties)
Round of 32 - Match 86: Argentina vs Cabo Verde, 3-2
Round of 32 - Match 81: USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovnia, 2-0
Round of 32 - Match 84: Spain vs Austria, 3-0
Round of 32 - Match 79: Mexico vs Ecuador, 2-0
Round of 32 - Match 80: England vs DR Congo, 2-1
Round of 32 - Match 82: Belgium vs Senegal, 3-2
Round of 32 - Match 75: Netherlands vs Morocco, 1-1 (3-2)
Round of 32 - Match 78: Ivory Coast vs Norway, 2-1
Round of 32 - Match 77: France vs Sweden, 3-0
Round of 32 - Match 76: Brazil vs Japan, 2-1
Round of 32 - Match 74: Germany vs Paraguay, 1-1 (4-3)
Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, 0-0
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, 3-1
Group J: Algeria vs Austria, 3-3
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, 3-1
Round of 32 - Match 73: South Africa vs Canada, 1-0
Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, 0-0
Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, 1-0
Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, 5-1
Group G: Egypt vs Iran, 1-1
Group L: Panama vs England, 2-0
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, 2-1
Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, 5-0
Group I: Norway vs France, 4-1
Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, 3-1
Group F: Japan vs Sweden, 1-1
Group D: Türkiye vs USA, 3-2
Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, 0-0
Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, 1-0
Group A: Mexico vs Czech Republic, 3-0
Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, 2-0
Group E: Germany vs Ecuador, 2-1
Group C: Brazil vs Scotland, 3-0
Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, 4-2
Group B: Qatar vs Bosnia-Herzegovnia, 3-1
Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, 2-1
Group L: Panama vs Croatia, 1-0
Group L: Colombia vs DR Congo, 1-0
Group I: Norway vs Senegal, 3-2
Group J: Algeria vs Jordan, 2-1
Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, 5-0
Group L: England vs Ghana, 0-0
Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, 1-3
Group J: Argentina vs Austria, 2-0
Group I: France vs Iraq, 3-0
Group E: Ecuador vs Curaçao, 0-0
Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, 0-4
Group G: Belgium vs Iran, 0-0
Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, 4-0
Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, 2-2
Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, 3-0
Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, 0-1
Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, 2-1
Group F: Netherlands vs Sweden, 5-1
Group A: Mexico vs South Korea, 1-0
Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, 0-1
Group D: USA vs Australia, 2-0
Group L: Ghana vs Panama, 1-0
Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia, 1-3
Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa, 1-1
Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, 4-1
Group B: Canada vs Qatar, 6-0
Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo, 1-1
Group L: England vs Croatia, 4-2
Group J: Argentina vs Algeria, 3-0
Group J: Austria vs Jordan, 3-1
Group G: Iran vs New Zealand, 2-2
Group I: France vs Senegal, 3-1
Group I: Iraq vs Norway, 1-4
Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, 1-0
Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia, 5-1
Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, 0-1
Group D: Australia vs Turkey, 2-0
Group E: Germany vs Curaçao, 7-1
Group F: Netherlands vs Japan, 2-2
Group D: USA vs Paraguay, 4-1
Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland, 1-1
Group C: Brazil vs Morocco, 1-1
Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic, 2-1
Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, 1-1
Group A: Mexico vs South Africa, 2-0