Commissioner says he had ‘no legal power’ to sack police chief over Maccabi Tel Aviv ban
‘It’s not an episode of The Apprentice, there has to be a lawful process’, says West Midlands police chief commissionerThe West Midlands police and crime commissioner has said politicians provided a “degree of fiction” regarding his power to sack a police chief over the ban on Maccabi Tel...
<p>‘It’s not an episode of The Apprentice, there has to be a lawful process’, says West Midlands police chief commissioner</p><p>The West Midlands police and crime commissioner has said politicians provided a “degree of fiction” regarding his power to sack a police chief over the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, adding it was not an “episode of The Apprentice”.</p><p>The home secretary withdrew her confidence in chief constable Craig Guildford after an official inquiry <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/14/watchdog-to-criticise-west-midlands-police-over-maccabi-tel-aviv-ban">found West Midlands police had “exaggerated” intelligence</a> to justify a ban on fans attending the Europa League match against Aston Villa last year, leading to calls for the police and crime commissioner to sack him. Despite this, Guildford remained in post for a further two days <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/16/west-midlands-police-chief-craig-guildford-to-retire-after-maccabi-tel-aviv-fans-ban-row">until he announced his retirement</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/27/commissioner-says-he-had-no-legal-power-to-sack-police-chief-over-maccabi-tel-aviv-ban">Continue reading...</a>
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