Jeremy Corbyn gives green light to bank holiday if England win World Cup

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has backed calls for an extra bank holiday should England win the World Cup.

The Three Lions progressed to the quarter-finals with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Colombia last night and are just two victories away from the final.

Whilst the showpiece game on July 15 feels a long way off yet, the country is beginning to believe that England might end 52 years of hurt, with Sweden in the quarter-final and, should they win that, a semi-final with Croatia or Russia.

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Labour are already proposing four new bank holidays if they come into power and Corbyn wants the country to celebrate with another one, should the unthinkable happen.

A Labour spokesperson said: “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but I think it is the case that Jeremy believes that if England were to win the World Cup there should be a public bank holiday in celebration.

“The World Cup is a very special international competition.

“It’s something that brings people together on a very large scale and we need recognition of that and recognition of the importance of football in the country.”

Prime Minister Theresa May was quick to praise Gareth Southgate’s side during Prime Minister’s questions too, even though she was ‘too nervous’ to watch the shootout.

“The country witnessed a very rare and welcome event last night: The England football team winning a penalty shoot-out,” she said.

“I think the explosion of relief and most of all joy could be felt up and down the country – not just in the smoking room in the House of Commons.”