Police ‘lied to parliament’ over Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban, says Lord Polak
'They have yielded to the mob, shamefully led by Ayoub Khan MP,' says the Tory peer
West Midlands Police leaders have been accused of “lying” to Parliament and “yielding to the mob” over the controversial decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a recent Europa League match in Birmingham.
In the House of Lords Conservative peer Lord Polak delivered a scathing critique, accusing police leaders of fabricating evidence and misleading Parliament.
“How is it remotely acceptable for police leaders in the West Midlands to fabricate a report… with a made-up meeting, a made-up match,” Lord Polak asked. “They have lied to a parliamentary select committee. Basically, they have yielded to the mob, shamefully led by Ayoub Khan MP.”
The row erupted after Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) barred supporters of the Israeli team from their fixture against Aston Villa last month, citing security concerns based on police advice.
The move prompted political outrage, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reportedly “angered by the decision,” and mounting calls for the chief constable of West Midlands Police to be sacked.
Doubts have grown over the intelligence used by police, including disputes about the accuracy of information and allegations that artificial intelligence (AI) was used to reach conclusions involving a fictitious game.
Further controversy erupted when Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara told a parliamentary select committee that Jewish community members had requested Maccabi fans be excluded—a claim the force later clarified, stating: “It was never the intention of the officer to imply that there were members of the Jewish community who had explicitly expressed support for the exclusion of Maccabi fans.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has asked the policing watchdog to examine how English and Welsh police forces provide risk assessments to safety committees.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) will also provide a specific update on the intelligence gathered by West Midlands Police by the end of the year.
Labour’s Lord Hunt of Kings Heath called the decision “a mistake” based on “very flawed evidence,” adding, “I think we’ve reached the point where there is considerable doubt about the integrity of the leadership of the West Midlands Police force. And I would say to the Government, I understand all these reports and due process, but actually I think action has to be taken.”
Responding in the House of Lords, Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint said: “Any suggestion that intelligence gathering or community engagement led by West Midlands Police was anything other than the highest standard, would be a matter of great concern, but I hope he will accept that the Home Secretary has understood that concern and has commissioned a report, and I think it is fair and proper that we await the findings of that report before we take any further potential action.”
He emphasised that the chief constable is ultimately accountable to the locally elected police and crime commissioner, and urged Parliament to wait for the findings of the official investigation before making further judgments.
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