Shabana Mahmood ‘knew of plan to ban Israeli followers EIGHT days sooner than she claimed – however did nothing’
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.
‘Why didn’t the Home Secretary do something? She needs to explain herself – otherwise people will understandably conclude that she did nothing because she saw no problem with the ban.’
Critics say the new documents show there was a clear ‘window of opportunity’ days before the case gained traction among the public for the Home Secretary to act, if she really wanted to avert the ban.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said Chief Constable Guildford should resign after it was revealed his force had information two months before the November 6 match that certain ‘elements’ wanted to ‘arm’ themselves against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.
She said: ‘They knew extremists were planning to attack Jews for going to a football match, and their response was to blame and remove Jewish people instead… The Chief Constable’s position is untenable.’
Our revelations come a day after Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick raised fears the government and the police risk ceding control of Britain to Islamists.
Commenting on The Mail on Sunday’s revelations, a Home Office spokesman said:’The Government has been clear that we disagree with the decision to ban away fans from the match in November.
‘That is why the Home Secretary asked the Inspectorate [of Constabulary] to investigate how the decision was reached.
‘We cannot comment further until she has received the findings and considered them.’
