The chief constable of England’s second-largest police force has stepped down after an official inquiry found that West Midlands Police relied on “greatly exaggerated” intelligence to justify banning fans of Israeli soccer club Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending a Europa League match in Birmingham, The Guardian reports.
Craig Guildford retired with immediate effect on Friday, two days after a damning report prompted Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to announce she had lost confidence in him. Although Mahmood had no legal authority to remove him, Guildford initially believed he could remain in office until Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster made a decision – a process expected to take at least 10 days.
However, continued criticism from cabinet ministers, signals from Downing Street that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had also lost confidence, and warnings from fellow police chiefs that his refusal to resign risked damaging the force nationally ultimately led to his departure. One senior policing source described him as a “dead man walking.”
Guildford, who earned £220,000 a year and will retire on a full pension, concluded that the controversy would overshadow the force for months. A deal for his exit was finalized Friday with Foster’s agreement, avoiding a potential legal battle, according to The Guardian.
The controversy began when West Midlands Police advised Birmingham’s safety advisory group in October that Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were too dangerous to attend the November 6 match against Aston Villa. The intelligence case later unraveled, though sources told The Guardian that Guildford still believed the decision had been “made on good grounds, and kept everyone safe.”
Guildford, who has served 32 years in policing and led the West Midlands force since 2022, said the “political and media frenzy” had become detrimental to the work of his officers. “I have carefully considered my position and concluded that retirement is in the best interests of the organisation, myself and my family,” he said.
The report also revealed that West Midlands Police had relied heavily on information from Dutch authorities, claiming Maccabi fans were responsible for violence at a 2024 match in Amsterdam. Dutch police disputed this, saying the unrest involved both Israeli fans and pro-Palestinian Arab supporters.
Further intelligence suggested some locals might arm themselves if Israeli fans attended, leading to accusations that the ban capitulated to antisemitism – especially as it came shortly after a terrorist attack that killed two people at a Manchester synagogue.
Jewish groups, including Campaign Against Antisemitism and the Board of Deputies of British Jews, welcomed Guildford’s departure. The Board said it would work with his successor “to restore confidence.”
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News’ North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)