PM Keir Starmer denies UK will get extra bank holiday next year to commemorate WW2
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has denied that the UK will get an extra bank holiday in 2025.
Despite rumours that there was going to be a new bank holiday for the UK next year, it looks like it isn't be the case.
People across Britain will be looking forward to boxing their public holiday dates off in their calendars, as it was reported that there was more than the standard eight bank holidays in 2025.
There are at least eight public holidays scheduled each year, with those being New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
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Past one-off bank holidays include the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which was held between 2 and 5 June back in 2022, with her funeral on 19 September also being made a bank holiday that year.
The UK also had a bank holiday for the coronation of King Charles in 2023, with 8 May being declared a public holiday, just two days after his ceremony.
Two years on, it was rumoured that we'd be getting another one, because of the sacrifices that our World War II (WWII) veterans made.
Next year will mark 80 years since the end of WWII, the deadliest conflict in human history, costing the lives of 50 to 85 million across the world.
According to the Express, a four-day long break to celebrate the milestone was set to take place in either May or August, with an announcement expected soon, though this has since been denied by No.10.
Victory in Europe Day was on 8 May 1945 when the Allies accepted Nazi Germany's surrender, though 15 August is the date when Imperial Japan followed suit - marking the end of a six-year world war that saw 45,000 Brits perish.
The plans would have seen dates on 9 and 12 May cleared to allow for celebrations, while the other route was to put it on 22 August to join it with the summer bank holiday and make it a four-day occasion.
2025 may be the last opportunity for many in the Greatest Generation to celebrate another decade milestone, regardless of the bank holiday, as only 70,000 veterans remain with us.
Last year saw a ceremony take place in Normandy to mark the 80-year anniversary of D-Day.
King Charles represented the UK at the event just hours after receiving care for cancer in hospital.
He left the London medical centre to give a passionate speech at the British Normandy memorial, which includes the names of 22,442 war heroes etched into structures.
The King wanted to 'lead from the front', adding that the generation 'did not flinch' when they needed to act.
Now, the youngest from that generation are in their late 90s and only 44 veterans were able to return to the Normandy beaches to honour their fallen soldiers.
Joshua Nair