A Birmingham Member of Parliament has launched a fierce attack on the Government following the sudden retirement of West Midlands Police's most senior officer. Chief Constable Craig Guildford stepped down with immediate effect on Friday, 16 January 2026, after a decision he made regarding a high-profile football match sparked a major political and public order controversy.
The Controversial Decision and Immediate Fallout
The pivotal event was Chief Constable Craig Guildford's choice to ban away supporters from the UEFA Europa League fixture between Aston Villa and Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv on 6 November 2025. This move provoked significant uproar and led to a formal review by the police watchdog. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated she had lost confidence in the Chief Constable after a "damning" inspection report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.
The report, led by Chief Inspector Sir Andy Cooke, found that West Midlands Police had used "confirmation bias" when assessing risks. It concluded the force had overstated the threat posed by Maccabi fans while simultaneously understating potential risks to those fans if they travelled to Birmingham. The watchdog also revealed the force made multiple errors and twice "misled parliament", including by denying the use of AI to gather evidence when it had in fact done so.
Political Backlash and Accusations of a 'Witch Hunt'
MP Ayoub Khan, whose Birmingham Ladywood constituency includes Villa Park, strongly defended the retired Chief Constable. He labelled the circumstances forcing Guildford's departure a political "witch hunt." Khan asserted that Guildford "did nothing wrong" and had made the correct call for public safety, a decision he claimed was supported by many local residents, particularly within the Muslim community.
"What we know is that the Maccabi Tel Aviv Ultras were known to attack Muslims, that is something which is undisputed," Mr Khan stated. He referenced confirmation from Amsterdam police and the Cooke report itself, which noted Muslims were specifically targeted in Amsterdam before the match. "When a Chief Constable makes this decision based on public safety, he's been thrown under the bus because he did not conform to the political narrative," the MP added, criticising the Prime Minister for previously calling the ban decision anti-semitic.
Leadership Change and Lasting Implications
Following Guildford's retirement, Scott Green has been appointed as the interim Acting Chief Constable of West Midlands Police. The force now faces ongoing scrutiny over its decision-making processes and accountability. MPs had previously called for Guildford to resign, accusing the force of presenting a misleading account and gathering intelligence "retrospectively" to justify the ban after the fact.
The controversy highlights the intense pressure on police leaders navigating complex security threats intertwined with international politics and community tensions. The episode leaves a significant mark on one of the UK's largest police forces as it transitions to new leadership under a cloud of independent criticism and internal political discord.
