Will we get a Bank Holiday if England win the World Cup?

England are now in the final eight of the World Cup
EPA

England fans are hoping for a Bank Holiday if the Three Lions manage to win the World Cup.

Gareth Southgate's side face Sweden in Saturday's quarter-final clash, with a potential semi against either Russia or Croatia on offer to the winner.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called on the government to implement a national Bank Holiday in the case of World Cup triumph.

But so far Downing Street has refused to comment.

England fans go wild after victory over Colombia - In pictures

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Will the UK be given a Bank Holiday in celebration?

With the final set to be played on a Sunday, the question has been raised as to whether the UK should have a Bank Holiday in celebration.

A Labour spokesperson said Jeremy Corbyn approves of the World Cup Bank Holiday.

"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," they said.

Penalty hero Jordan Pickford saves a spot-kick from Carlos Bacca
AFP/Getty Images

They added that the Bank Holiday would have to come soon after the World Cup and would have to cover the entire UK.

The spokesperson said: "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."

Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry had already begun the tournament by calling for a Bank Holiday should England reach the final.

What has Theresa May said about a World Cup Bank Holiday?

Downing Street has so far refused to comment on whether a Bank Holiday will be announced to celebrate winning the World Cup.

Theresa May did congratulate the team following their nail-biting penalty shootout win over Colombia on Tuesday.

"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."

But it later emerged the Prime Minister was "too nervous" to watch the penalty shootout against Colombia and had to leave the room .

In Pictures | England vs Colombia, World Cup | 03/07/2018

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What else would happen if England were to win the World Cup?

When the English rugby team won the Rugby World Cup, they took part in a bus tour around London with a quarter of a million people turning out to see the team make their way around the capital.

Should England win, it's likely that a similar bus tour would occur.

The England rugby team were also invited to Buckingham Palace for an audience with the Queen, as were the English cricket team following their victory in the Ashes.

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