Craig Guildford, the chief constable of West Midlands Police, retired immediately after facing criticism for banning fans of Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending a match against Aston Villa in Birmingham last year. The decision, made during a period of heightened concerns about antisemitism, was found by a recent report to have exaggerated the threat posed by Maccabi fans and underestimated the risks to their safety. The controversy intensified after the report's publication, leading Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to publicly withdraw her confidence in Guildford and urge his resignation, although she lacked the authority to dismiss him directly. The incident has sparked debate over who should hold the power to remove senior police officials, with calls to restore that authority to the home secretary.