A standoff has erupted at the top of British policing. West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford is refusing to resign despite Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood declaring she has "lost confidence" in him.

The row centers on a decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a match at Aston Villa. An independent report found the police used "exaggerated and untrue" intelligence to justify the ban, falsely claiming a severe terror threat. Critics argue the force bowed to political pressure to avoid pro-Palestine protests. Guildford’s refusal to go sets up a constitutional clash over the independence of the police versus political accountability.