Shabana Mahmood has strongly criticized the chief constable of West Midlands Police, stating a lack of confidence in his leadership. The Home Secretary condemned the decision to prevent Israeli football fans from attending a match in Birmingham, leading to new legislation empowering Home Secretaries to dismiss police chiefs, a power previously revoked by the former Tory government.
Following a review by Chief Inspector of Policing, Sir Andy Cooke, Ms. Mahmood expressed her loss of confidence in Chief Craig Guildford, citing the review as “damning.” The report revealed that West Midlands Police selectively gathered evidence to support their decision, leading to inaccuracies presented to Members of Parliament by Mr. Guildford.
Ms. Mahmood highlighted that the police exaggerated the threat posed by Maccabi Tel Aviv fans while downplaying the risks faced by Israeli fans. She emphasized the lack of engagement with the Jewish community in Birmingham before making the decision, as uncovered by Sir Andy’s investigation.
Despite calls for Guildford’s resignation, Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan defended him, claiming he was being unfairly targeted. Khan argued that West Midlands Police has a history of working with all communities and suggested that the decision was justified due to concerns about potential racism and violence if Maccabi fans attended the match.
Guildford faced scrutiny for providing misleading information to MPs, attributing errors to a Microsoft Co Pilot result and an incorrect Google search. The ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending the match was enforced by the local Safety Advisory Group based on police advice.
The power to dismiss Guildford rests with West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, who pledged to review the evidence surrounding the ban. The Home Secretary is set to address the findings in the House of Commons following a comprehensive review of the situation.