MPs have demanded that police give a fuller account of allegedly exaggerated intelligence that led to a choice to ban to Israeli followers from their membership’s match towards Aston Villa.

A report within the Sunday Occasions (ST) claimed West Midlands Police (WMP) had overstated the menace posed by Maccabi Tel Aviv followers forward of the match on 6 November, citing violence round a match within the Netherlands final 12 months.

In response, Shadow Residence Secretary Chris Philp mentioned that except WMP had clarification, Chief Constable Craig Guildford ought to resign. Residence Workplace minister Sarah Jones mentioned she had written to him asking for readability.

WMP has defended its analysis, saying its plan was “proportionate”.

The ST report on Sunday mentioned an intelligence report relied on by the pressure had claimed some Maccabi-Tel Aviv followers had been “extremely organised, expert fighters with a critical want and can to battle with police and opposing teams”.

It had additionally prompt that 500 to 600 of them had focused Muslim communities in Amsterdam, and followers had been thrown in a river, claims which the newspaper mentioned had been denied by Dutch police.

Placing an pressing query within the Commons, Conservative MP Nick Timothy demanded the publication of all intelligence materials referring to the ban, and proof thought-about by Birmingham’s Security Advisory Group (SAG).

The panel, bringing collectively council and police consultants, was liable for imposing restrictions on away followers for the sport on 6 November.

Calling for the federal government “to carry the West Midlands Police to account”, Philp added: “The Maccabi followers weren’t expert and organised fighters – it was simply made up.”

The minister advised MPs that she had written to WMP to “get to the underside” of the claims, and that the Residence Workplace had requested His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fireplace and Rescue Providers to hold out a wider investigation into how security assessments had been carried out.

She mentioned the pressure was finishing up a debrief of occasions main as much as the match, and can be publishing “a timeline of occasions, the selections taken and the rationale for the suggestions that had been offered to the SAG”.

Responding to the ST’s claims, a spokesperson for the pressure mentioned: “West Midlands Police’s analysis was primarily based totally on data and intelligence and had public security at its coronary heart.

“We assessed the fixture between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam as having concerned important public dysfunction.

“We met with Dutch police on October 1, the place data referring to that 2024 fixture was shared with us.”

Police concluded a sub-section of Maccabi followers posed “a reputable menace to public security“.

They concluded: “We’re happy that the policing technique and operational plan was efficient, proportionate, and maintained town’s fame as a protected and welcoming place for everybody.”