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    Keir Starmer hints at a bank holiday if England win Euros final against Spain on Sunday

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    HOPES of an extra Bank Holiday to celebrate an England Euros win rose today as Sir Keir Starmer vowed to mark any victory. Fans dared to dream of a day off as calls for a national celebration grew should the Three Lions romp home in the final on Sunday.England fans could get a Bank Holiday if we win the EurosCredit: PAFans were in full voice last night at the Netherlands triumphCredit: GettyThe new PM said he did not want to “jinx” the historic clash but would not rule out let giving millions have time off work to revel in a glory.He was speaking after the “fantastic” win last night while he was in America for a NATO summit.And the football-mad premier was asked about comments he made about granting a Bank Holiday if the Lionesses won the World Cup last year.He said: “We should certainly mark the occasion, I don’t want to jinx it. I went to the last Euros final, I don’t want to go through that again.”I don’t want to jinx anything but we must mark it in some way. But the most important thing is getting it over the line on Sunday.”He spoke about how he watched some of the game despite being at the defence and security summit in Washington DC.He added:  “It was fantastic. I managed to pop out from one of my sessions for just five minutes which is when I saw Harry Kane get the first goal.  I missed the second one but it was brilliant.”So on we go now, great chance. I’ve always said this team were going to go all the way so I’m really, really pleased and just good luck for Sunday.”Most read in Euro 2024The prospect of Sir Keir granting a Bank Holiday are quite slim as they come at great cost to the economy.The campaign for a Bank Holiday roared into life following last night’s nerve-shredding 2-1 win over the Netherlands.Adele fans spot her celebrating England’s Euros win in Rio Ferdinand’s video Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey was first out of the blocks today to throw his weight behind the Bank Holiday bonanza.He said: “The Three Lions are playing their first ever final on foreign soil, and if they bring it home, the government should bring home a bank holiday to celebrate.”England deserves the chance to celebrate a once in a generation event.”Who knows we might even get decent weather.”Sir Keir previously called for a Bank Holiday should the Lionesses have won the last women’s World Cup.He said: “It’s almost 60 years since England won the World Cup. “I’m never complacent about anything… but there should be a celebratory bank holiday if the Lionesses bring it home.”Roar them onIf you want to help the England team to Euro 2024 glory… here’s your chance.On Sunday they will face Spain in the biggest game of their lives and we are giving YOU and your children the opportunity to send messages of support.Tell us who your favourite player is, tell us how you plan to watch them and send us pictures of your little ones in their England kit helping the Three Lions get to glory.To send our boys – including manager Gareth Southgate, captain Harry Kane, goalie Jordan Pickford and our goal-scoring genius Ollie Watkins – a message and photo simply sundayfeatures@the-sun.co.uk.  Please send us your phone number too so we can get in touch.    More

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      Football fans could finally be allowed to have a pint again on the terraces under plans to revamp the English game

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      THIRSTY footy fans could finally be allowed to have a pint again on the terraces under new plans unveiled today.Ministers today welcomed proposals to look at a pilot on the sale of beer at some lower league matches.
      Football fans could be allowed to enjoy beers in the stands again under new plansCredit: Reuters
      Ministers welcomed proposals for a pilot of alcohol sales at lower league clubsCredit: AFP
      Fans haven’t been able to consume booze in sight of the pitch since 1985.
      But now reformers want to change that rule for smaller clubs to boost their income and the grass roots game.
      They say getting more Brits ploughing their cash into local teams will help English football overall.
      The plan come in the result of a fan led review ordered by No 10 after the European Super League scandal.
      Currently only non-league sides are allowed to sell pints of beer to be consumed by fans in the stands.
      Supporters can only consume alcohol on the concourse at all teams in the Football League and Premier League.
      Club coffers boost
      The review looked at the experience of Dulwich Hamlet, which plays in the National League South.
      Club bosses said they can’t afford to get promoted because they’d lose 40% of their revenue through having to shut their “successful” bar.
      The authors of the report said this would be “a perverse outcome whichundermines the merit based system of the English football pyramid”.
      They said booze sales can have “benefits to club sustainability” and there are “doubts about the effectiveness of the current law”.
      It cites evidence from professional rugby matches, where fans can drink in the stands, as an example of the boost to club coffers.
      Reformers calculate football teams are losing out on around £2 per person for every home match they play.
      They write: “If this is projected for a League Two average attendance of 4,000 across 23 home matches then approximately £184,000 is being lost per club, or £4,416,000 across the League.
      “Clearly, this is a significant loss of revenue that might otherwise contribute to sustainability.”
      Mega transfers tax
      The review calls for a “small scale pilot scheme” at League Two and National League sides to see if alcohol sales should be reintroduced.
      Other proposals in the paper include a £160million transfer tax on Premier League clubs each season to support the lower leagues.
      The tax would be “similar to stamp duty” paid on properties for clubs buying players.
      The review states: “If a ten per cent levy had been applied in the last five seasons, an estimated £160m per year could have been raised.
      “This would be a relatively modest cost to Premier League clubs — but could be game changing to the rest of the football pyramid.”
      Last summer it would have seen Manchester City paying an EXTRA £10m on top of the fee for Jack Grealish.

      There would also be an “integrity test” for potential owners that would’ve blocked Newcastle United’s £300m Saudi takeover.
      In order to be approved by the proposed new independent regulator who would be appointed by the Government, any owner would have to pass a new ‘Integrity Test’.
      While a potential owner would be considered ‘of good character’ unless there is ‘reliable evidence’ to the contrary, the regulator would look at ‘criminal matters’, ‘relevant information from credible and reliable sources’, past business dealings and ‘integrity and reputation’ of close family members. More

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      England risk being kicked out of the World Cup under barmy Labour border plans

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      ENGLAND risk being kicked out of the World Cup under barmy Labour border plans.
      Sir Keir Starmer wants arrivals from every country to spend ten days in hotel quarantine.

      😷 Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

      England risk being kicked out of the World Cup under barmy Labour border plans that would see arrivals from every country to spend ten days in hotel quarantineCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Under the proposals Gareth Southgate’s team would have to forfeit qualification games in Poland, San Marino and AlbaniaCredit: PA:Press Association

      There are no exemptions for elite sports stars coming from nations where quarantining in hotels is requiredCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      There would be no exemptions for Three Lions aces.
      Currently, the measures will apply to 33 countries and there are no exemptions for elite sports stars coming from nations where quarantining in hotels is required.
      But if the proposals were expanded under Labour’s plans, England’s World Cup qualification games in Poland, San Marino and Albania would have to be forfeited.

      Gareth Southgate’s team would be handed a 3-0 loss in each game, severely denting their chances of qualifying for Qatar 2022.
      If the games did go ahead, they’d risk the Premier League’s wrath as stars would be held for ten days in hotels on their return.
      The move would also throw the Euros, the Premier League, the Champions League, rugby’s Six Nations and the new Formula 1 season into chaos.
      MPs will vote on Labour’s proposal which lists one exemption to the blanket ban — for hauliers.

      Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: ‘By quarantining all arrivals, we can help protect vaccines against new strains’Credit: PA:Press Association
      Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “By quarantining all arrivals, we can help protect vaccines against new strains.”
      But the Premier League has worked hard to make teams Covid secure, with players often travelling in bubbles.
      A Tory Party spokesman said: “Labour’s plan to put 20,000 people a day in hotels is implausible.”
      An insider said: “All sports have the strictest covid protocols but if these measures were introduced British teams in Europe have a real headache over how to compete.
      “That in turn would have financial implication, as well as issues over future qualification.”
      The source added the measures would impact the “already truncated” season which needs to finished before the delayed Euros this summer – which would also be affected by the measures, as Wembley stadium hosts all three England group games, the semi-finals and final.
      Motor racing would also be affected, with the Formula 1 season set to start in weeks in Bahrain.
      Races in “red listed” Brazil and Abu Dhabi are taking place at the end of the year, when organisers hope restrictions have been lifted.

      The England Football team could miss out on next year’s World Cup due to Labour’s proposalsCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      A Formula 1 spokesman said: “Last year we proved we could compete safely with over 80,000 tests and 0.1 per cent positives.
      “We employ over 40,000 both directly and indirectly through supply chains and have over 25,000 highly skilled engineers.
      “We cannot operate if we cannot travel and the elite sport exemption is quite simply keeping our sport and others going and saving jobs.”
      A Whitehall source said: “So long as we remain confident on public health grounds, we’d support players travelling to compete.
      “A blanket ban would effectively stop us playing in international competitions and be devastating for sports’ finances.
      “At various points Labour have tried to disrupt sport continuing through covid, whereas the government has done everything it can to keep it going safely”.

      Qatar are due to host the tournament in 2022

      A Labour spokesman said: “Labour’s proposals outlined do include scope for exemptions, we have asked the Government to provide all of the basis or the decisions around exemptions. 
      “Every effort should be made to allow elite international sport to continue, through quarantine exemption, although the key priority has to be against importing a strain of the virus that is resistant to the vaccine.”
      The Premier League declined to comment.

      Mourinho slams managers who tell stars to skip internationals
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      These are first football fixtures allowed to have fans back in stadiums

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      Fans of Charlton Athletic, Shrewsbury Town, Cambridge United and Carlisle will be the first supporters allowed back on the terraces after months away from the sidelines.
      Home fans of the League One and League Two clubs will be allowed to watch their beloved teams following the government’s Tiers announcement this morning.

      Fans of Charlton will be among the first backCredit: PA:Press Association

      But Manchester United fans miss out Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      Two thousand home fans will be allowed in to the game which kick off at 7pm on December 2.
      Championship sides Luton and Wycombe will also be allowed up to 2,000 supporters, but they won’t be the first back as their games kick off 45 minutes later.
      All the areas have fallen into Tier 2, which allows up to 2,000 supports into stadiums or up to 50 per cent capacity – which ever is greater.
      But Manchester United fans will miss out in their clash with Paris Saint Germain as Old Trafford will be in the highest covid level, Tier 3.

      Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Palace, Fulham, Spurs, West Ham, Brighton, Everton, Liverpool, Southampton will be allowed fans under the new rules.

      The Full fixtures back with fans on December 2:

      Championship
      Luton v Norwich
      Wycombe v Stoke City
      League One
      Charlton v MK Dons
      Shrewsbury v Accrington Stanley
      League Two
      Cambridge United v Mansfield
      Carlisle v Salford City

      Earlier this week Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden wrote on Twitter: “Sports fans back in stadia from 2nd Dec 4K or 50% of capacity in Tier 1, 2K or 50% of capacity in Tier 2.
      “A big step forward for fans as we work towards fuller capacities.”Thanks to pilot hosts & fans for showing this can be done safely.”

      The EFL said it was an “important step in achieving a return to normal” and that it would help the “revenue gap left by a lack of spectators.”
      Earlier this week the Premier League said: “Fans have been greatly missed at Premier League matches and therefore we welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement today regarding the return of supporters for the first time since March, albeit at small numbers.”

      Matt Hancock says London and most of England in Tier 2 but Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle are Tier 3 as Cornwall, Isle of Wight and Isle of Scilly go in Tier 1 More

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      Premier League urged to rethink plan to screen only 220 live matches on TV next season

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      MINISTERS want the Premier League to rethink its plan to screen only 220 matches live on TV next season.
      The other 160 will not be shown, despite curbs on fans attending games.

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      MPs want the Premier League to rethink its plan to screen only 220 matches live on TV next season, given curbs on fans attending stadiaCredit: AFP or licensors
      All 92 matches after last season re­started in June went out live on TV.
      The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “Our focus is to get fans back in stadia as quickly as possible.
      “It is for the Premier League and its broadcast partners to come to an agreement on screening matches.
      “However, we urge them to follow the spirit of Project Restart, listen to fans and consider what can be achieved.”

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