By ANDY DOLAN, GENERAL REPORTER

Published: 16:35 GMT, 30 December 2025 | Updated: 16:41 GMT, 30 December 2025

Police chiefs in Birmingham have apologised to a cross-party group of MPs after suggesting members of the Jewish community in the city had expressed support for a ban on fans of an Israeli football team attending a match at Aston Villa.

In a letter to the committee, West Midlands Police (WMP) Chief Constable Craig Guildford admitted there was 'no documented feedback' that British Jews wanted Maccabi Tel Aviv fans barred from the game on November 6.

Mike O'Hara, an Assistant Chief Constable at the West Midlands force, told the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) of MPs earlier this month that police had been told by members of the Jewish community they did not want Maccabi fans to attend the match.

WMP subsequently issued a statement of clarification which read: '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.'

Dame Karen Bradley, the Conservative chair of the HASC, wrote to the force asking it for further clarification of what ACC O'Hara meant in his evidence.

In a letter responding to the committee, WMP chief constable Craig Guildford said: 'We can confirm that there is no documented feedback from Jewish representatives prior to the decision being communicated which expressed support for the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.'

However, he added that since ACC O'Hara appeared at the committee, he 'has been approached by members of the Jewish community who expressed that they agree with the Sag decision'.

'Understandably, many community members chose to share their views privately, offering their support in confidence', the chief constable said.

ACC Mike O'Hara told the Home Affairs Select Committee on December 1 that police had been told by members of the Jewish community they did not want Maccabi fans to attend the match

West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford, pictured giving evidence before the committee earlier this month, has apologised and said there was 'never any intention to mislead' MPs

There was a heavy police presence outside Villa Park for Aston Villa's Europa League fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv last month

He added: 'ACC O'Hara and I would like to take this opportunity to formally apologise to the Home Affairs Select Committee for any confusion caused and would like to reassure you that there was never any intention to mislead whatsoever.'

Mr Guildford and his Assistant Chief Constable Mike O'Hara are due to appear before the committee again next week – believed to be the first time a Chief Constable has been recalled to Parliament in this way – after Dame Karen said there remained a 'number of questions relating to the actions of West Midlands Police in respect of this fixture'.