Petition for Bank Holiday reaches 300,000 signatures

More than 300,000 people have signed a petition calling for the day after the Euro 2020 final to be declared a Bank Holiday if England win the tournament.

The petition was set up on the Parliament website on Thursday (8 July) and by Friday had already hit the 300,000 mark and rising.

Any petition that passes 100,000 signatures can be considered and debated by Parliament.

Lee Jones, who set up the petition, wrote: "Sunday 8pm is a difficult time for families to plan to be together for the event – knowing we have an additional day off the next day would significantly help this.

"Furthermore, a historic win should be celebrated. It would be expected for the winning team to parade the trophy, and a bank holiday would be a perfect time to do this.

"Also, English people would naturally want to continue to enjoy the win, giving the retail and leisure industry a much-needed opportunity to make up lost revenues."

England face Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday after beating Denmark on Wednesday night.

The final is an historic moment for the country's men's team, who last reached a major final in 1966. The women's side reached the final, but couldn't clinch victory, in both Euro 1984 and 2009.

Asked on Sky News about the possibility of Monday being a Bank Holiday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "I wouldn't want to jinx it is what I'd say.

"Not in my lifetime, I don't think in yours, have we been in this position. I don't want to say anything that's going to make any presumptions at all.

"Good luck to England on Sunday, we'll all be right behind you."