British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has rejected calls to allow children to miss school on Monday following England's late-night World Cup match against Mexico, as reported by The Guardian.
The debate emerged after England qualified for the next round by defeating the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the UK kickoff time set at 1 a.
m.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel publicly urged parents to keep children home to watch the match, which could last until 3 a.
m.
"Write an excuse for school and let them watch football. They have so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years.
Let them watch, there will be a big, big match in four days and we need the support of everyone and especially of the children," Tuchel said.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister quickly countered, emphasizing the government's stance on classroom attendance despite the high-stakes fixture at the Azteca Stadium.
"It is up to parents to make their own decisions.
We want everyone to enjoy the game but children should be at school on Monday," the spokesperson said.
The official noted that Starmer faced the same scheduling dilemma as other citizens, referencing comments by Education Minister Jacqui Smith about preparation for the workday.
"The education minister Jacqui Smith put it very well.
She is having a disco nap on Sunday and then back at work next day … the prime minister is facing the same dilemma as everyone else on whether to stay up," the spokesperson added.
Smith warned that students would miss critical classroom learning if parents followed the coach's advice.
"I don’t want to be a killjoy, but I’ll tell you what the biggest killjoy is – young people who don’t have the learning to be able to go on and do what they need to do in life," Smith said.
She explained her personal strategy: "I quite understand if people want to watch the match, including young people – I will be.
I’ll be having a little disco nap in the afternoon and I’ll be celebrating our victory the next morning when I go into work, looking obviously as fresh as a daisy."
The scheduling conflict has caused measurable shifts in logistics, with the babysitting app Bubble recording a 50 percent increase in Monday morning bookings as parents alter plans.
Public campaigns for an emergency bank holiday on Monday were dismissed by local government officials, who cited established holiday patterns.
"Backing the England team all the way … the current pattern of bank and public holidays is well established," a spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said.
Starmer previously hinted that an extra bank holiday could take place on July 20 if England wins the tournament, a date that coincides with the expected leadership transition for Andy Burnham.
