Overview
- Shabana Mahmood told Parliament she no longer has confidence in Chief Constable Craig Guildford following findings on the decision to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the November match at Aston Villa.
- HMICFRS reported that West Midlands Police overstated the threat from Maccabi supporters while understating risks to Israeli fans, describing the force’s approach as confirmation bias.
- Guildford apologised to MPs after admitting a fictitious West Ham–Maccabi fixture cited in policing documents was generated by Microsoft Copilot, contradicting his earlier denial that AI was used.
- The review highlighted minimal engagement with Jewish community leaders and identified further inaccuracies, including exaggerated or untrue accounts of disorder linked to a prior match in Amsterdam.
- The Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, now reviews the findings with powers over any suspension or dismissal, as the Home Secretary signalled plans to restore ministerial authority to remove police chiefs.