On Tuesday night, England defeated Italy in a thrilling match.
Sir Keir Starmer has already seemed to state unequivocally whether a bank holiday should be observed in the event that England wins the Women’s Euros.
After Michelle Agyemang’s late equalizer forced the semi-final match against Italy into extra time, Sarina Wiegman’s team advanced to the European Championship final this summer on Tuesday night.
In Wiegman’s first Wembley appearance as England’s head coach, Agyemang, who plays club football for Arsenal in the Women’s Super League, was a ballgirl.
And in the closing moments of the match, the youngest player in the Lionesses team showed off her skills by posing a threat to Italy’s defense with her remarkable speed and ability.
The semi-final match appeared to be headed to a penalty shootout until referee Ivana Martincic signaled to the spot after Beth Mead was hauled down in the 117th minute.
Chloe Kelly, England’s resident penalty-taker, missed from 12 yards out, but seconds later, the forward for Arsenal tapped in the rebound to advance the Lionesses to Sunday’s championship match.
In the final, the Lionesses will face either Spain or Germany, a rematch of the Women’s World Cup final, which the Spanish won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Olga Carmona in the first half.
If England had won that game, the Conservative government at the time would not have allowed a bank holiday.
When the Lionesses won Euro 2021 a year earlier, there was also no bank holiday. However, before that final, Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour party at the time, urged the government to grant a bank holiday if England succeeded in their quest.
Starmer, an Arsenal supporter, told the Daily Mirror: “They have already done us proud, but if they win it will be a truly historic achievement – one that should be marked with a proper day of celebration, where clubs can open and promote access for women and girls.”
Naturally, if the Lionesses win the trophy in Switzerland, Starmer, who won the 2024 General Election, is in a position to give another bank holiday.
Although that conversation was ultimately unnecessary, Starmer made a suggestion a few days after the election that if England defeated Spain in the men’s Euro final, there might be a bank holiday.
The Lionesses will be optimistic following such a thrilling tournament thus far, but there are still crucial games to play before that result needs to be given serious consideration once more. The final is scheduled for Sunday, July 27.
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