Sir Keir Starmer said he hoped officials will keep him updated about England’s Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands as he attends a major international summit.
The Prime Minister will be with world leaders including Dutch counterpart Dick Schoof at the Nato summit in Washington while Gareth Southgate’s team plays on Wednesday evening.
After last week’s landslide election victory, Sir Keir said his advice to Southgate on leading a team to success was: “Win!”
He added: “I understand our phones are all taken off us, when we go into the council, so I’ve no doubt we’ll be passed lots of notes with really important information about the summit, and one or two of those notes hopefully will be an update on the score, because I’m not going to be able to get it otherwise.
“I’ve sent a message to the team, obviously I wish them well, I want them to win, and let’s hope they can do it tomorrow.”
Arsenal fan Sir Keir praised his team’s winger Bukayo Saka who scored the equaliser against Switzerland in the quarter-final to take it to a penalty shootout, with England emerging victorious.
“That was classic Bukayo – cuts in from the right and that shot is absolutely classic – inside of the post – I’ve seen it so many times,” Sir Keir told reporters travelling with him to Washington.
“And I’d remind you, England have not missed a penalty under a Labour government in 2024.”