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Ministers have remained tight-lipped about the future of the chief constable of West Midlands Police following the controversial decision to prohibit Israeli football supporters from attending a match. The ban, which affected fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv during their November game against Aston Villa, was justified by West Midlands Police on the grounds of safety concerns.
An independent investigation into this decision, commissioned by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, is anticipated to be released this week, possibly as soon as today. Home Office minister Alex Norris has stated that ministers will await the findings of this report before making any decisions about how to proceed with regards to the position of Chief Constable Craig Guildford.
According to coverage in The Times, Mahmood might consider withdrawing her confidence in Guildford if the report delivers a critical assessment. Last week, Guildford appeared before the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, where he stood by his police force’s actions, denying any conspiracy and reiterating that the ban was based solely on safety assessments. He rejected claims of political interference and highlighted intelligence gathered from previous Maccabi Tel Aviv matches to justify the decision. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch responded by demanding Guildford’s resignation, accusing him of having “capitulated to Islamists.”
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Alex Norris described the incident as deeply upsetting and stressed that prohibiting fans from attending a football match due to their faith was unacceptable. He explained that the matter is currently under review by an independent inspectorate, and that a report will be provided to the Home Secretary. Norris emphasized the importance of awaiting the facts before deciding the next steps, expressing confidence in the inspectorate’s thoroughness. When pressed about whether he would publicly state a lack of confidence in Guildford should the report be critical, Norris declined to speculate, insisting on waiting for the full findings before making any commitments
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