Blair considers World Cup holiday

Prime Minister Tony Blair was urged to declare a public holiday if England reach the World Cup final.

Former sports minister Tony Banks wants the whole country to be given the day off on the Monday after the final, to allow football fans to celebrate after the match - or drown their sorrows - without having to worry about getting up for work.

And he wants the holiday to be offered to the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish as well as the English, despite the tradition of antipathy towards the England team north of the border.

Mr Banks yesterday tabled a House of Commons motion congratulating Sven Goran Eriksson's team on their success in reaching the quarter-finals and calling on Mr Blair to declare that July 1 will be a holiday if England make it to the final a week on Sunday.

He put the plan directly to Mr Blair at Prime Minister's Questions today.

Addressing the house, Tony Blair said he would consider the proposals, but that we should await the results of Friday's match against Brazil before taking the idea any further.

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