Labour’s Labour Police and Crime Commissioner is facing calls to resign after the “disgraceful” decision to allow Chief Constable Craig Guildford to retire with a full pension.
The former West Midlands Police boss left his post on Friday after a scathing report found the force fabricated evidence to justify banning Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a Europa League tie against Aston Villa in Birmingham last year.
PCC Simon Foster, a former Momentum branch organiser and past supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, praised the departing chief constable’s decision.
He said: “The Chief Constable, Craig Guildford, has today retired from West Midlands Police with immediate effect. In doing so, he has acted with honour and in the best interests of West Midlands Police and our region.
“I welcome his decision.”
Mr Guildford will now retire from his £220,000-a-year position with a plush full pension.
His exit came just two days after Sir Andy Cooke, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, published a devastating report concluding the force had exaggerated evidence to justify excluding Israeli fans from Villa Park.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood had publicly declared she no longer had confidence in Mr Guildford’s leadership, yet lacked the authority to remove him as that power rested solely with the PCC.
Labour has been slammed over the ‘disgraceful’ decision to allow Craig Guildford to retire
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Mr Foster, a former lawyer, insisted he required additional time to examine the facts and had scheduled an accountability meeting with Mr Guildford for January 27.
He is facing intense scrutiny for not using his authority to dismiss the Chief Constable, instead allowing Mr Guildford to negotiate his exit on favourable terms.
Lord Austin, the former Labour MP and antisemitism campaigner, told GB News: “I think Craig Guildford should have been fired weeks ago, and Simon Foster was the man who should have done that.
“I think what’s happened here is a complete disgrace… and the police and crime commissioner has been silent and supine throughout this entire process,” he told The People’s Channel.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford departed following famning findings
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Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, demanded Mr Foster also resign over his handling of the affair.
“The disgraceful conduct of Mr Guildford and Mr Foster shows who really rules the roost in local affairs in Birmingham,” he added.
“Focus must also turn to the Islamists who browbeat the police into carrying out their wishes to ban Jews, and the police and crime commissioner who has not lifted a finger to stop it.”
Conservative politicians joined the chorus of condemnation, with shadow home secretary Chris Philp branding the PCC too feeble to take decisive action.
Mr Philp said: “Craig Guildford should have been fired by the Labour police and crime commissioner, but he was too weak to act. Craig Guildford’s move to retire is simply not good enough.
“He should now face gross misconduct proceedings through an IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) investigation, which can continue even after retirement or resignation. I will now be writing to the IOPC to call for this.”
Wendy Morton, Conservative MP for Aldridge-Brownhills, said: “Whilst welcoming this decision, not least of all because the Chief Constable had lost the confidence of residents across the West Midlands, I am dismayed that the Labour West Midlands police and crime commissioner has been slow to respond and once again ducked his responsibilities.
“The police and crime commissioner has shown no leadership in this matter and he should also be leaving… out of respect to all the residents of the West Midlands.”
Simon Foster has faced calls to resign over his handling of the affair
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Robert Alden, Birmingham Conservative leader, added: “Yet again, the Labour police and crime commissioner has shown how weak he is.
“If the Chief Constable was responsible for the disgraceful banning of Jewish fans and the cover-up of intelligence relating to armed gangs in our city intent on hunting down and hurting people, then he should have been fired,” the local Tory leader told The Telegraph.
For his part, Mr Guildford attributed his departure to external pressures.
“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,” he said upon his exit.
Ms Mahmood welcomed Mr Guildford’s departure, describing it as the correct course of action.
She 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.”
Ms Mahmood has since announced plans to introduce new powers enabling the Home Secretary to dismiss police chiefs directly, a responsibility currently held exclusively by PCCs, which are set to be scrapped.