The chief constable of West Midlands Police has announced his retirement after facing major criticism over his handling of a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending a match in Birmingham.
Craig Guildford will step down with immediate effect as the head of the force, having resisted calls to resign after a damning report found he had exaggerated evidence to justify the force’s decision to ban Israeli fans from a Europa League fixture against Aston Villa on 6 November.
Simon Foster, the West Midlands police and crime commissioner, said he welcomed the decision in an announcement on Friday afternoon, adding Mr Guildford’s decision was in the “best interest” of the force.
In a statement released on the West Midlands Police website, Mr Guildford said retiring was in the best interests of “the organisation, myself and my family”, as he pointed to the “political and media frenzy” surrounding the force’s involvement in the decision.
He said: “I have come to the conclusion that the political and media frenzy around myself and my position has become detrimental to all the great work undertaken by my officers and staff in serving communities across the West Midlands.
“I have carefully considered my position and concluded that retirement is in the best interests of the organisation, myself and my family.”
Despite his retirement, the police watchdog said it will continue to look into the decision. Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) director general Rachel Watson said: “Our interest in the actions of former chief constable Guildford, and other officers involved, does not end following his decision to step down.
“Over the last few days, we have been examining a wealth of evidence and we have met with HMICFRS to request additional material.
“We will continue examining all available evidence to inform our assessment of whether we should undertake any independent conduct investigations. If that is the case, we’ve said we are prepared to use our powers of initiative to independently investigate in the absence of formal referrals.
“We are also liaising with the Home Affairs Committee (HAC) regarding evidence given by ex-CC Guildford and other officers during evidence sessions in December and January, and await its findings regarding the evidence given to the committee. If there is any indication of misconduct we will act.”
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said it was “the right thing to do” after telling the Commons on Wednesday that she had lost confidence in the senior officer.
Mr Guildford leaves his role after intense scrutiny over the ban, which saw fans of the Israeli team barred from attending the game at Villa Park by the local Safety Advisory Group (Sag) over safety concerns based on advice from the police force.
Sir Andy Cook’s review found eight “inaccuracies” in a report from the force to Birmingham’s Sag, including a reference to a non-existent game between Tel Aviv and West Ham, found to be an “AI hallucination” produced by Microsoft Copilot.
Other inaccuracies included overstating the number of Dutch police officers deployed during the match, claims that fans were linked to the Israel Defense Forces, claims that Muslim communities had been intentionally targeted by Tel Aviv fans, and reports of multiple Dutch police officers being injured in the disorder.
Ms Mahmood said: “The findings of the chief inspector were damning. They set out a catalogue of failings that have harmed trust in West Midlands Police. By stepping down, Craig Guildford has done the right thing today.
“I would like to acknowledge his years of service. And I pay tribute to the work of the officers in West Midlands Police, who keep their community safe every day.
“Today marks a crucial first step to rebuilding trust and confidence in the force amongst all the communities they serve.”
Following news of his resignation, Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Under Craig Guildford’s leadership, West Midlands Police lied and obfuscated, victim-blaming Jews instead of taking on the Islamists.
“His retirement, after the pitiful failure of West Midlands police and crime commissioner Simon Foster to sack him, should result in the resignation of Mr Foster as well. In any case, Mr Guildford’s must not be the last departure from among the force’s leadership, and obviously, he cannot be replaced by another senior figure implicated in the same scandal.”
Ms Mahmood told MPs on Wednesday that findings by the policing watchdog into the force’s controversial intelligence gathering show “confirmation bias” over the decision to bar the Israeli football team’s fans from attending Villa Park in November.
Addressing the Commons, the home secretary said there had been “a failure of leadership” and that the report by chief inspector of constabulary Sir Andy had been “damning”, adding that she had “no confidence” in Mr Guildford.
Ms Mahmood also expressed frustration that she was not able to sack the chief constable herself, a power she said was removed from the home secretary’s remit during the coalition government’s reforms, which introduced police and crime commissioners in 2011.
The power to sack Mr Guildford lies with PCC Simon Foster, who declined to do so on Wednesday as he awaited the outcome of a parliamentary inquiry into the matter.
In his announcement, Mr Foster said it was important the matter had been resolved in a “measured and respectful manner” and that he had appointed Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green as the acting chief constable.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was “absolutely shocked” that Mr Guildford remained in his post after the review, and added on Thursday morning he would be “horrified” if he were still in post by the end of the day.
He added his failure to resign was “a stain on his character”.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy also said in the Commons on Thursday that she was “astonished” Mr Guildford had not stood down yet.
Lord Walney, the government’s former anti-extremism adviser, told The Independent: “At last, it looks like Craig Guilford has bowed to the inevitable after his conduct brought shame on policing. He could have stepped down with dignity when the mismanagement of the Maccabi Tel Aviv affair was first exposed, but the way he has clung on means he will be watched closely to ensure he is out of the door as quickly as possible.
“It would be unforgivable if he tries to spin this out to get a better deal. He needs to go now so a major culture change in the force can begin.”