Euro 2024: The Pressure is On PM Starmer to Grant England a Bank Holiday if They Win Against Spain
As England prepares to face Spain in the final of Euro 2024, the pressure is mounting on newly-elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to grant the nation a Bank Holiday if the Three Lions bring home the trophy.
In a thrilling 2-1 win against the Netherlands, England booked their place in Sunday’s final, and the nation is bursting with excitement. Gareth Southgate’s side will now face the mighty Spain in Berlin in the final match of the tournament.
There have been growing calls for Starmer, a self-proclaimed Arsenal fan, to authorize a Bank Holiday if England are crowned European champions for the first time. Since Starmer’s election as Prime Minister last week, he has taken to social media to express his support for the Three Lions, tweeting, “What a game @England and what a winner! Berlin here we come!”
Starmer’s views on Bank Holidays are a far cry from his predecessors. Earlier this year, he called for a national celebration if the Lionesses made it to the final of the Women’s World Cup, stating, “It’s almost 60 years since England won the World Cup. I’m never complacent about anything… but there should be a celebratory Bank Holiday if the Lionesses bring it home.”
This sentiment was mirrored in 2021 when England reached the final of the 2020 Euros. Starmer told The Mirror, “The whole country is incredibly proud of what Gareth Southgate and our England heroes have achieved already… History has been made. If we win on Sunday, the country should get the chance to celebrate it properly with an extra Bank Holiday, granted in the name of the England team.”
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden seems to think Starmer has jinxed England’s chances by saying, “It’s all because of the Prime Minister.” Starmer merely smiled and replied, “It looks like it”.
As England manager Gareth Southgate prepares his team for the biggest match in decades, he remains focused on the goal of winning the tournament. “We’ve given our supporters some of the best nights in the last 50 years. I’m hugely proud of that… we’re not finished. We’ve got the greatest possible test to prepare for. We came here to try to win the tournament, and that’s still our aim.”
So, is a Bank Holiday on the horizon if England win? Time will tell, but one thing is for certain – the nation is buzzing with anticipation ahead of Sunday’s showdown.
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