West Midlands Police chief says decision to retire is in best interests ‘of the organisation, myself and my family’ as he steps down with full pension after misleading MPs and public over Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban
The disgraced chief constable of West Midlands Police has retired on a full pension after finally bowing to growing calls for his resignation over the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban.
Craig Guildford, 52, said the decision to retire was in the best interests of “the organisation, myself and my family”, claiming the “political and media frenzy” was “damaging all the great work undertaken by my officers and staff”.
Mr Guildford was facing huge pressure to step down after misleading MPs and the public over the decision to ban supporters of the Israeli side from a European match against Aston Villa.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said on Wednesday she had lost confidence in Mr Guildford but police and West Midlands crime commissioner Simon Foster had refused to sack him.
Mr Foster, the only person with the power to sack Mr Guildford, confirmed Mr Guildford’s departure in a statement outside police headquarters in Birmingham before refusing to answer questions.
He said: ‘Chief Constable Craig Guildford today retired from West Midlands Police with immediate effect. In doing so he acted honorably and in the interests of West Midlands Police and our region. I welcome your decision.
‘I am pleased that this result was reached, taking into account the legal process and the law.
This avoided what would otherwise have been a complex procedure, which could have caused significant distraction, impact and cost for West Midlands Police and the wider West Midlands police. It was important that this issue be resolved in a balanced, calm, fair, measured and respectful manner.’
Mr Foster said he wanted to recognize Mr Guildford’s ‘positive achievements and contributions’ and appointed chief constable Scott Green as acting chief constable.
Craig Guildford, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, gives evidence to the Home Affairs Committee regarding the ban on football fans attending matches
There was a heavy police presence in front of Villa Park before the match.
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in front of the stadium
Mr Guilford described serving as chief constable of West Midlands Police as ‘the honor of my career’.
Ms Mahmood responded to Mr Guilford’s retirement by saying the police chief ‘did the right thing’.
This development follows ridiculous scenes yesterday where the police chief silenced his own officers to question why he had not resigned while desperately trying to hold on.
A day after Ms Mahmood and the fray in the House of Commons, where West Midlands MPs, councilors and community leaders called on him to resign over the scandal, Mr Guildford returned to his office yesterday and told staff he would not bow to the pressure.
But the beleaguered chief spent all day on the phone to other police chiefs, begging him to resign, after the Home Secretary said the saga was damaging trust in policing.
In the latest blow, a Downing Street spokesman said the government ‘no longer’ had confidence in Mr Guildford, effectively forcing his hand.
The Daily Mail understands Mr Guildford hoped the scandal would “pass” and was consulting lawyers about his options because he believed he was being “unfairly treated”, but his position appeared increasingly isolated as the day progressed.
Yesterday it emerged that the chief constable is still the head of the national police on professional standards, ethics, complaints and misconduct, even though the government does not believe he is fit to remain in office.
As a non-statutory body, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has no power to remove him from the key post.
In a spectacular farce, Mr Guildford was listed to preside over a misconduct hearing in the case where a PC was accused of ‘discreditable conduct’ on the same day the chief was due to face an accountability panel in person after misleading the public about a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending an Aston Villa game last November.
Mr. Foster instructed the chief to answer questions about the scandal at a board meeting on Jan. 27.
Yesterday, Suky Samra, chair of the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel tasked with reviewing Mr Foster’s work, described the chief’s position as ‘highly questionable’.
In another development, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said it was considering whether to launch a conduct investigation after reviewing a report by Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Andy Cooke, which revealed how evidence was fabricated and exaggerated by police to justify the ban.
Yesterday, Health Minister Wes Streeting said: ‘I find it jaw-dropping that the chief constable has not resigned when in fact he has misled Parliament and misled the public.
‘I find it even more extraordinary that I have lost the confidence of the Home Secretary, who is one of the local MPs and has still not resigned, I find it absolutely outrageous.’
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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said on Wednesday she had lost confidence in Mr Guildford but the police and crime commissioner refused to sack him
He told Times Radio: ‘I thought anyone with integrity would say I should resign at this point.
‘And I think the fact that he isn’t is a stain on his character that he can’t remove unless he acts quickly.
‘I would be horrified if he was still in office at the end of the day.’
Culture Minister Lisa Nandy also stepped up the pressure, saying it was ‘surprising’ that he did not resign.
Previously the force had sent a briefing document to its officers, local police federation and unions and West Midlands Police staff associations preventing them from commenting on their fate.
An internal edict has warned ranking civil servants that it would be ‘inappropriate and unprofessional’ to discuss his future, despite politicians in the West Midlands siding with the Government that the game is over.
Staff were told ‘the force is committed to minimizing the negative societal impact of these issues’.
But that message quickly backfired when angry officers leaked the document in protest of being silenced over the scandal, which has done irreparable damage to the agency.
Ms Mahmood said today: ‘The chief inspector’s findings were very bad. They have drawn up a list of failings that have damaged trust in West Midlands Police.
Craig Guildford did the right thing by resigning today.
‘I would like to recognize his years of service. And I pay tribute to the work of West Midlands Police officers who keep their communities safe every day.
‘Today marks a crucial first step in rebuilding trust and confidence in the force in all the communities they serve.’
Campaign Against Antisemitism Chief Executive Gideon Falter said: ‘Under Craig Guildford’s leadership, West Midlands Police lied and confused, victim-blaming Jews rather than tackling Islamists.
‘The retirement of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster, following his pathetic failure to remove him, must result in Mr Foster’s resignation as well.
‘In any event, Mr Guildford’s must not be the last to leave the force’s leadership and he cannot be replaced by another senior figure caught up in the same scandal.’
In a statement published on West Midlands Police’s website, Mr Guilford said: ‘I have concluded that the political and media frenzy around me and my position has undermined all the great work my officers and staff undertake to serve communities across the West Midlands.
‘I have considered my position carefully and have concluded that retirement is in the best interest of the organisation, myself and my family.
‘It has been the honor of my career to serve as Chief Constable of West Midlands Police.
‘Together with the force’s dedicated and hard-working workforce, we have turned this around. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the extraordinary level of service this force provides to the public.
‘I know this will continue, thanks to all the officers, staff and volunteers who work for WMP and strive to keep the public safe.
‘I would also like to thank all communities across the West Midlands for your support. ‘I will greatly miss the incredible people I have had the privilege of meeting, working with and serving across the region.’
