Starmer urged to provide England public ‘hangover vacation’ after first World Cup match
EXCLUSIVE The Prime Minister is facing calls to follow Scotland’s lead by giving English football fans a bank holiday after the Three Lions’ first World Cup game against Croatia
Sir Keir Starmer is facing furious calls to follow Scotland’s lead by giving England footie fans a public “hangover holiday” after the Three Lions’ first World Cup 2026 match.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney announced that June 15 will be designated a national bank holiday, the day after Scotland’s opening match against Haiti in Boston. He said it is to mark the team’s participation in the tournament for the first time since 1998, but the move has been labelled the “most expensive pre-election bribe to date” as it would cost businesses eye-watering sums in lost revenue.
But the Liberal Democrats are among those demanding the UK government do likewise.
MP Anna Sabine – the party’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport spokeswoman – told the Daily Star: “England deserves the chance to celebrate our heroic squad.
“Starmer should bring us into step with our Scottish neighbours and let everyone enjoy our first big game. Who knows, this might just be the year the Three Lions bring it back home.”
England is set to open its World Cup bid in Dallas against Croatia in a 9pm kick-off UK time on June 17. Scotland will face Haiti in a 2am kick-off our time.
Despite the Lib Dems’ call, armies of sports fans have savaged Mr Swinney for his public holiday call.
Scotland’s June 14 game is the nation’s first at a World Cup since France 98 almost 30 years ago. England, on the other hand has qualified for all World Cups since 1998 and all its group games kick off at 9pm UK time.
Experts say if Scotland’s workforce got a day off after its first clash, the cost to the country’s economy would run to the hundreds of millions of pounds.
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay said: “Given we’re now in an election year, the cynic in me thinks this is his most expensive pre-election bribe to date.”
Voters were less diplomatic. One raged online: “Another hammer blow to the economy just for some cheap bribe. Ridiculous celebration for a hugely expanded tournament that’s hard not to qualify for.”
Another critic jeered on X: “I’d like to mark my calendar with when the blue bins are going to be emptied.”
Others questioned whether the politician had his “priorities right”.
The Prime Minister refused to create a bank holiday to mark the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 victory last summer. It came after a government impact assessment of an additional bank holiday to mark the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 found it cost the UK economy £2.4billion due to a loss of work output and business sales.
Announcing June 15 as a potential bank holiday in Scotland, the country’s government this week said it would permit “businesses and other organisations in Scotland to celebrate” after Steve Clarke and his men play their first match against Haiti in the early hours of the previous day.
Mr Swinney said: “I am taking steps to ensure the Monday after our opening game should be national bank holiday, so that – no matter the outcome of the match – we can all come together to share the occasion.”
But Scots scoffed at it as a joke as getting the day off depends on their employment contract and employer. Businesses are not legally obliged to close on bank holidays and it is understood only public sector staff who work under the Scottish government would be guaranteed the day off – once it’s approved by King Charles. Councils have already poured cold water on the idea of offering staff a day off.
Currently, Scottish Borders Council won’t be offering staff the day off work on June 15. A spokesperson for the authority said: “We are not looking to designate an additional public holiday at this time, but we will await further information from the Scottish Government.”
The Daily Star has approached No10 for comment.
But political sources poured cold water on the chance of England getting a similar public holiday. One insider said: “The government has clearly set out the Bank holidays for this year, and they are well established. At present, there are no plans to change that programme.”
The insider added the government will be backing the Three Lions and UK teams “all the way” as they seek glory at the World Cup this summer.
