Starmer says ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending Aston Villa game is ‘wrong decision’

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said banning fans of Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending the Aston Villa match was a “wrong decision”.

The move to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the club’s Europa League match at Villa Park on Thursday, November 6, was made amid public safety concerns.

However, Starmer criticized the decision.

In his post about X he said: This is the wrong decision.

“We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.

“The role of the police is to ensure that all football fans can enjoy the game without fear of violence or intimidation.”

The Birmingham Safety Advisory Group, which is responsible for issuing safety certificates for every match at Villa Park, has informed Villa that no away fans will be allowed to attend next month’s match in Birmingham.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was among those to condemn the decision on Thursday evening.

He posted on X: “This is a national disgrace.

“How did things get to this point?

“Starmer has promised that Jews are welcome and safe in Britain, that he will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community and will use the full force of his government to prove this.

“Will he back up those words with action and guarantee that Jewish fans can enter any football stadium in this country?

“Otherwise it sends a terrible and shameful message: there are some places in Britain that Jews cannot go.”

Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar called it a “shameful decision”.

He added: “I call on the UK authorities to reverse this cowardly decision!”

Former Labor MP Baroness Luciana Berger, who left the party in 2019 because of the antisemitism scandal and rejoined in 2023, said: “This is a shameful decision.

“If @WMPolice (West Midlands Police) and Birmingham council cannot guarantee the safety of this 1 match then the city’s ability to host future major international events should be reviewed.”