West Midlands Police chief under pressure to resign over Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban

West Midlands Police chief under pressure to resign over Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban

A West Midlands Police chief is under pressure to step down over the controversial ban of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.

Chief Constable Craig Guildford is being called to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday to answer further questions, along with Birmingham City Council leaders.

The decision to ban fans of the Israeli club from their Uefa Europa League fixture against Aston Villa on November 6 has faced criticism, including from the Prime Minister.

Police have been accused of wrongly suggesting they consulted local Jewish leaders on the ban.

A West Midlands Police chief is under pressure to step down over the controversial ban of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.

Chief Constable Craig Guildford is being called to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday to answer further questions, along with Birmingham City Council leaders.

The decision to ban fans of the Israeli club from their Uefa Europa League fixture against Aston Villa on November 6 has faced criticism, including from the Prime Minister.

Police have been accused of wrongly suggesting they consulted local Jewish leaders on the ban.

Alternatively, it is said that eight Muslim groups, including three who have been accused of hosting antisemitic preachers, were consulted.

The force has since admitted there was “no documented feedback” that British Jews wanted fans of the Israeli club banned, despite their claims.

They also apologised for “any confusion caused”, insisting “there was never any intention to mislead whatsoever.”

Shadow Home Office Minister Katie Lam has now questioned whether CC Guildford can continue in his role, after what she described as a “serious breakdown in leadership and accountability”.

In the Commons on Monday, the Tory MP Nick Timothy said: “On October 7, the police told a private meeting that they planned to ban Israeli fans from Villa Park. That was, to quote the minutes, ‘in the absence of intelligence.

“On October 9, they accepted that they needed to find a clearer rationale for the decision already made. On October 16, they said they had suddenly found significant intelligence for a ban.

“That supposedly came from a conversation with the Dutch police on October 1, before the first meeting held in the ‘absence of intelligence’. Does the Home Secretary believe West Midlands police—yes or no?”

CC Guildford, along with Chief Constable Mark Roberts, head of the football policing unit, and John Cotton, the Labour leader of Birmingham city council, will be questioned by MPs on Tuesday.