A senior Labour peer has demanded an urgent government inquiry into what he describes as an "evil plot" by "a bunch of bigots and racists" to officially endorse antisemitism and turn Birmingham into a "no-go area for Jewish people".
Political Outrage Over Football Fan Ban
The hard-hitting intervention from Lord Cryer, a former MP and chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, follows the controversial decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a Europa League match against Aston Villa in early November. The decision was made by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group (Sag), which includes council and police representatives, citing security concerns.
This move sparked significant political outrage, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reported to have been "angered by the decision". Although the Israeli club ultimately declined its ticket allocation and the match, policed by over 700 officers, passed without serious disorder, the incident has triggered a major political and policing row.
Disputed Intelligence and Official Scrutiny
West Midlands Police had classified the fixture as high risk, pointing to alleged violent clashes and hate crimes during a 2024 match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam. However, the accuracy of this intelligence has been thrown into question, with the Sunday Times reporting that Dutch police have disputed the information.
The West Midlands force has defended its evaluation as "proportionate". Despite this, the fallout has been swift. Policing minister Sarah Jones has written to the chief constable requesting "an urgent response" regarding the intelligence used. Furthermore, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered the policing watchdog, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), to examine how police forces in England and Wales provide risk assessments to safety advisory groups for high-profile events.
Calls for Council Suspension in Parliament
Raising the issue in the House of Lords, Lord Cryer did not mince his words. He stated: "We have a situation where the police force stands accused of fabricating evidence while under pressure from a bunch of bigots and racists – as well as, it pains me to say, a number of Labour councillors – all with one aim: turning Britain’s second-biggest city into a no-go area for Jewish people and they actually succeeded in that."
He directly called on the Government to "hold an inquiry to find out what the hell is going on in Birmingham city hall and, if necessary, suspend the council and kick out any Labour councillors engaged in this evil plot".
In response, Labour frontbencher Lord Lemos stressed the operational independence of the police but confirmed that the HMICFRS review is expected to be completed by March. Other peers expressed strong views, with Labour's Lord Hunt of King’s Heath labelling the original decision "disgraceful".
Non-affiliated peer Baroness Fox of Buckley argued that the incident showed antisemitism was "not only tolerated but officially endorsed", creating a perception that "Jews are not welcome in a major city in this country". Lord Lemos, while rejecting the term "Jew-free", shared concerns about ensuring Jewish people can live without fear of intimidation.
