'I don't want to jinx it' - PM on Euros bank holiday

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said "we should certainly mark the occasion" if England win Euro 2024.

But he stopped short of confirming there would be a bank holiday if the Three Lions were victorious, saying he did not want to "jinx it".

The Liberal Democrats have called for an extra bank holiday if England win, following their 2-1 semi-final victory against the Netherlands on Wednesday.

England will play Spain in the final in Berlin on Sunday.

Speaking at the Nato summit in Washington, the prime minister said: "We should certainly mark the occasion.

"I went to the last Euros finals. I don't want to go through that again so I don't want to jinx anything.

"We must mark it in some way but the most important thing is getting it over the line on Sunday."

He previously backed calls for an extra bank holiday if England won the Women's Euro 2022, which they did.

But this was ruled out by the Conservative government due to the "considerable" cost. According to a 2010 House of Commons Library briefing, the government put the cost of an additional bank holiday at £2.9bn.

Sir Keir also backed calls for a bank holiday if England won the Women's World Cup final, which they lost.

However the government has allowed pubs to extend their opening hours by an extra two hours to 01:00 BST in England and Wales for the final.

The prime minister, an Arsenal supporter who regularly plays five-a-side football, said he always knew the team were going to go "all the way."

He managed to take a few minutes out from the Nato gathering to watch part of Wednesday's match with his Dutch counterpart.

"It was fantastic. I managed to pop out from one of my sessions for just five minutes which is when I saw Harry Kane get the first goal," he said.

"I missed the second one but it's brilliant but on we go now, great change, I've always said this team are going to all the way so I'm really really pleased. And just good luck for Sunday."

Sir Keir will attend the final in Berlin, Downing Street has confirmed.

'England deserves chance to celebrate'

The Liberal Democrats have called for an extra bank holiday if England lift the trophy on Sunday.

Leader Sir Ed Davey said: "The Three Lions are playing their first-ever final on foreign soil, and if they bring it home, the government should bring home a bank holiday to celebrate.

"England deserves the chance to celebrate a once-in-a-generation event.

"Who knows, we might even get decent weather."

In 2022, two extra one-off bank holidays were held for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee and her funeral.

The King's coronation in May 2023 was also a bank holiday.

But previous football successes - including England's 1966 World Cup triumph and the Lionesses' European Championship win in 2022 - did not result in additional bank holidays.

Correction 25 July 2024: This article previously wrongly reported that the government had allowed pubs to extend their opening hours in England and Scotland for the final. This has been amended to make clear that this applied in England and Wales.