Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has publicly declared she has lost confidence in the chief constable of West Midlands Police following a scathing review of the force's decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a match.
Damning Report Reveals 'Confirmation Bias'
Addressing the House of Commons on Wednesday 14 January 2026, Ms Mahmood outlined the findings of a review by policing watchdog chief inspector Sir Andy Cooke. The report investigated the controversial intelligence gathering that led to the ban on Israeli football fans attending the Europa Conference League match at Aston Villa's Villa Park in November.
The Home Secretary stated the review exposed "confirmation bias," where the force sought evidence to support a pre-determined position rather than following the facts. She told MPs there had been "a failure of leadership" that harmed the reputation of policing and eroded public confidence.
Key failures identified included minimal engagement with the Jewish community, particularly in Birmingham, before the decision was taken. The police were found to have overstated the threat posed by the Maccabi fans while simultaneously understating the risks to those fans if they travelled.
AI 'Hallucination' and Misleading Evidence
The controversy deepened with revelations about the use of artificial intelligence. Chief Constable Craig Guildford had told the Home Affairs Select Committee that AI tools were not used to prepare intelligence reports. This claim was later refuted by one of his own officers, who blamed an incorrect reference to a non-existent match between Tel Aviv and West Ham on an "AI hallucination" produced by Microsoft Copilot.
Sir Andy's review catalogued eight significant inaccuracies in the police report given to Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group (Sag), which made the final ban decision. Alongside the fabricated match, these included exaggerating the number of Dutch police officers deployed, falsely linking fans to the Israeli Defence Forces, and incorrect reports of injuries to officers.
"The ultimate responsibility for the force’s failure to discharge its duties on a matter of such national importance rests with the chief constable," Ms Mahmood said, concluding that Craig Guildford "no longer has my confidence."
Calls for Resignation and Legislative Change
Frustrated by her limited powers, the Home Secretary revealed plans to introduce new statutory powers allowing her to force the resignation of chief constables on performance grounds. Currently, the power to dismiss Mr Guildford rests with West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster.
Pressure on the chief constable mounted swiftly following the statement. John Cotton, Labour leader of Birmingham City Council, called for him to stand down to restore confidence. The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) demanded his resignation, with chief executive Gideon Falter stating this was an "institutional problem" requiring the removal of multiple force chiefs.
While the watchdog's review found no evidence that antisemitism directly influenced the decision, it highlighted a severe "imbalance" in the information used and a lack of foresight regarding the global consequences. Mr Guildford, who has apologised to MPs for the erroneous evidence, maintains the decision was not politically motivated.
