By GABRIEL MILLARD-CLOTHIER, POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 23:02 GMT, 10 January 2026 | Updated: 01:15 GMT, 11 January 2026

New evidence casting doubts over Shabana Mahmood's claims that she did not have enough time to overturn a controversial ban on Israeli football fans has been uncovered by The Mail on Sunday.

Documents obtained by this newspaper suggest the Home Secretary was briefed on plans to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from their match against Aston Villa eight days earlier than she claimed.

And they seem to show she raised no objection to the decision – later criticised for being rooted in anti–Semitism – at the time.

Ms Mahmood has now been urged to make an emergency statement to Parliament following our revelation.

A note sent by civil servants to the UK's football policing unit on October 8 at 5.24pm – and seen by this newspaper – read: 'The West Midlands Chief [Constable Craig Guildford] briefed the Home Sec earlier that a condition of the match going ahead may be to ban away fans.'

Eight days later, a statement by Aston Villa's safety advisory team confirmed the decision – sparking an enormous public backlash

At the time, allies of Ms Mahmood insisted she had only found out about the ban at Villa Park on the evening of October 16, and said she would do 'all she could' to reverse it. They added it was 'categorically untrue' that the Home Office had received advanced warning about the plans.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said last night: 'The Home Secretary appears to have authorised lies to be briefed to the media in order to protect herself by making out the Home Office knew nothing about this in advance.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (pictured) has now been urged to make an emergency statement to Parliament following documents obtained by this newspaper

The new evidence suggests that the Home Secretary was briefed on plans to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from their match against Aston Villa eight days earlier than she claimed. Pictured: Pro-Palestinian protesters gather outside Villa Park before the UEFA Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel-Aviv on November 6, 2025

At the time, allies of Ms Mahmood insisted she had only found out about the ban at Villa Park on the evening of October 16, and said she would do 'all she could' to reverse it

'She needs to make an urgent statement to Parliament about what she, her advisers, Ministers and the Home Office knew when – and if she knowingly authorised untrue information to be released, the Prime Minister must sack her.'

'There was plenty of time to intervene,' Mr Philp added.

Tory MP Nick Timothy added: 'The paper trail shows that the Home Office did nothing at all to stop the ban, despite the Prime Minister and Home Secretary later saying its origins lay with anti–Semitism on our streets.