Cabinet approval NOT needed to overturn Israeli fan ban, says ex-Attorney General

Cabinet approval is not needed to overturn the decision banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa game next month, an ex-Attorney General has told GB News.

Speaking to GB News stars Tom Harwood and Dawn Neesom on Good Afternoon Britain, Sir Michael Ellis laid out just how Labour can reverse the controversial move.

It has been reported that the Prime Minister has assigned three ministers - Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Communities Secretary Steve Reed - to find a solution after cross-party fury erupted following the decision.

But Sir Michael has claimed that it "can be reversed" without Sir Keir being given the green light by his Cabinet colleagues.

"I can give him a little bit of legal advice. You don't need three ministers," he told the presenters.

With section 40 of the Police Act 1996, the Home Secretary can order a police chief constable to do something if "she feels the police are not acting in accordance with their proper duties".

He added that it was a "very rarely-used power" but Shabana Mahmood must activate the ability in this case because it is an "improper decision which victim-blames".

"It's blaming people because you can't control the streets of Britain.

"West Midlands Police are basically saying they can't control the streets, and therefore let's just ban effectively Jewish fans from coming into this country," Sir Michael fumed.

"Look, this is a national disgrace, this decision. And it's very rare that you get Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem leaders agreeing on something.

"They are rightly so, because quite frankly, Jews are under attack in this country."

The ex-Attorney General continued to blast the state of antisemitism across British universities, the NHS and, most recently, the BBC.

MACCABI TEL AVIV FAN BAN - READ MORE:

• 'I'm not a racist!' Pro-Gaza MP denies 'antisemitic' accusations in wake of Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban
• Maccabi Tel Aviv chief comes out swinging after decision to ban supporters from Aston Villa match
• Jews have been 'targeted' in Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban while Labour 'rolls over', top Tory says

Ms Mahmood has come under fire after it was exposed that her department was briefed on the ban last week.

The United Kingdom Football Policing Unit briefed Home Office figures about the intention to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending their team's away fixture at Aston Villa in Birmingham.

The United Kingdom Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) said in a statement it "supported West Midlands Police in gaining access to the full details of the previous incidents in Amsterdam via the European policing network so they had all the relevant information available to them".

"Following this, the Home Office were briefed last week by the UKFPU about the potential issues and options that the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) may take, including restrictions on visiting fans," it further stated.

"The Safety Advisory Group is made up of independent bodies who make recommendations to the licensing authorities and the priority is always the safety of those attending matches and the wider public."

Meanwhile, the pro-Gaza MP Ayoub Khan denied accusations of antisemitism after he came out in support of the ban.

The local politician has been hit with a deluge of antisemitic accusations after he backed the decision to bar fans of Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv from their fixture against Aston Villa on November 6.

Mr Khan even slammed the Labour leader for condemning the move, telling GB News: "I don't think that politicians should get involved in matters that are outside of our expertise.

"The fact that the Prime Minister has labelled this decision as antisemitic is disingenuous."

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