The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Craig Guildford, could be removed from his post as early as this week. His fate hinges on a critical report into his force's controversial decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa football match last November.
Mounting Pressure and Accusations of Misconduct
The report, compiled by His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Andy Cooke, is being expedited to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. She is expected to share its conclusions with Parliament imminently. Senior Conservative figures, including party leader Kemi Badenoch, have publicly demanded Mr Guildford's dismissal. They accuse the force of having "capitulated to Islamists" and using false intelligence to justify the ban.
Newly revealed police logs, obtained by The Telegraph, show officers recorded groups of "Asian youths looking for a fight" heading towards Villa Park hours before the Europa Conference League fixture on November 6. This intelligence directly contradicts the force's public position at the time. While these reports were coming in, Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce appeared on Sky News, blaming the ban "exclusively" on concerns about Maccabi fan hooliganism.
Hidden Warnings and Political Campaigns
Further documents show West Midlands Police were warned that members of Birmingham's majority-Muslim community had planned to 'arm' themselves if the Israeli supporters attended. Mr Guildford has been accused of hiding this evidence. The ban was announced following a vocal campaign by pro-Gaza independent MP Ayoub Khan and local activists.
Last week, Mr Guildford was forced to apologise to MPs for misleading Parliament. He initially claimed the ban had support from the Jewish community, a statement later proven incorrect. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick argued the episode showed police "have to lie to preserve the illusion" of authority in some parts of Britain.
Appointment Scrutiny and Impending Judgment
Pressure intensified further with a report in The Sunday Times revealing that a controversial Birmingham mosque, Green Lane Mosque, which supported the fan ban, was also represented on the panel that appointed Mr Guildford three years ago. The mosque has disputed the context of sermons where speakers suggested men could physically discipline wives as a 'last resort'.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster stated the appointment process was "extensive and wide-ranging," with the mosque's chief executive being one of 53 people involved. The Home Office has reiterated its disagreement with the original ban, stating, "We should not be a country where we tell people to stay away from certain events because we cannot protect them." All eyes are now on Home Secretary Mahmood as she receives Sir Andy Cooke's findings, which will likely determine the future of West Midlands Police's top officer.
