The Lionesses Delivered. Now It’s Our Turn

I couldn’t be prouder to see our Lionesses return home as back-to-back European champions after an unforgettable tournament that has once again inspired the nation.

Their dramatic win over Spain in the final, sealed by a nerve-shredding 3 - 1 penalty shootout, was not only a masterclass in football but a show of strength, unity, and resilience. It’s the first time an England senior team has ever won a major tournament overseas, a record-breaking moment for women’s football and for English sport as a whole.

As someone who has long championed equality in sport, this victory feels all the more powerful. These women are not just athletes, they’re pioneers, role models, and trailblazers for girls and young women across the UK. Their win is a reminder that when you back women’s sport, invest in grassroots teams, and give talented players the stage they deserve, they deliver.

On Tuesday, 29 July, the Lionesses will take to the streets on an open-top bus parade through London, ending at a fan celebration on The Mall. If you’re nearby, I’d absolutely encourage you to go and soak up the atmosphere, they deserve every bit of the support.

But it shouldn’t stop there.

It’s time for the Prime Minister to formally recognise this historic achievement:

• Confirm an honorary damehood for Sarina Wiegman, the strategic force behind the team’s success.

• Appoint the entire squad MBEs in recognition of their momentous accomplishment and service to the nation.

• And let’s put up a statue of Leah Williamson outside Wembley Stadium, the home of English football, to inspire future generations and mark this era-defining team.

• And of course, there's one more gesture the public is crying out for: A national Bank Holiday to honour the Lionesses’ victory and allow the country to come together in celebration.

  
  

When the men lifted the World Cup in 1966, it was immortalised. The Lionesses have now done something even more difficult: not just winning, but defending their title, on foreign ground, under the weight of national expectation, and still making it look like joy.

Let’s not treat this moment as routine. It’s extraordinary, and it deserves extraordinary recognition.

What a summer. What a team. What a legacy.

Welcome home, Lionesses. You've done us proud, again.