Part of Birmingham 'can't be no-go area for Jews', says cabinet minister

Aston successful Birmingham can't go a "no-go area" for Jews, a elder furniture curate has told Sky News, amid contention implicit fans of an Israeli shot nine being barred from attending a lucifer adjacent month.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said helium "profoundly" disagrees with the "approach" taken by a section MP who started a petition calling for fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv to beryllium banned from the Aston Villa game, saying it "cannot beryllium the ground connected which our state operates".

But portion helium said the authorities is "working with the applicable authorities" to overturn the move, helium tin not warrant it volition happen.

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Alongside politicians of each parties, Sir Keir Starmer has strongly criticised the decision, calling it "wrong", and the authorities has said it volition enactment with section authorities to guarantee some sets of fans tin attend.

Speaking to Sky's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, Mr Miliband said enactment is inactive ongoing.

"We are moving with the applicable authorities connected this issue, helium said. "I deliberation the rule present is we bash not privation a concern wherever radical of a peculiar religion oregon from a peculiar state can't travel to a shot lucifer due to the fact that of their faith, due to the fact that of wherever they're coming from."

Asked if Maccabi Tel Aviv fans volition decidedly beryllium capable to be the game, the curate replied: "I'm not going to accidental travel what may, but I'm giving you a very, precise wide denotation of what we are moving towards, which is that, you know, the fans from some teams tin be the match."

Phillips enactment to Mr Miliband that a petition to prohibition their fans, launched by section autarkic MP Ayoub Khan, has been signed by astir 4,000 people. It states the upcoming crippled is "not a mean match" due to the fact that the Israeli fans would beryllium arriving successful "Aston, a divers and predominantly Muslim community".

Asked if Aston is present a no-go country for Jews, Mr Miliband replied: "No and it can't be. And I'm very, precise wide astir that.

"I judge we arsenic a country, we pridefulness ourselves connected our diversity, but besides our tolerance and our hatred of prejudice, frankly. And truthful we cannot person a concern wherever immoderate country is simply a no-go country for radical of a peculiar religion oregon from a peculiar country."

Asked if the section MP was justified successful what helium wrote, Mr Miliband replied: "No. I profoundly disagree with that approach, with what is being said successful that petition, due to the fact that that cannot beryllium the ground connected which our state operates."

This isn't however the immense bulk of radical successful the UK operate, helium added. "So let's not instrumentality this petition and accidental it paints a representation of our country."

Top Tory criticises 'sectarian politics'

His Tory counterpart, Claire Coutinho, was highly captious of the petition, telling Phillips: "I deliberation politicians request to person the courageousness to sanction immoderate of the problems that this state is facing. And 1 of those problems is governmental Islam.

"Now, that's not to accidental the mean Muslim assemblage are a occupation successful Britain, but we person seen successful the past extremist Islamism [...] and present we are seeing a question of radical - past election, 5 MPs elected - simply connected sectarian politics. That whitethorn beryllium higher astatine the adjacent election.

"So we person to grip this, and portion of that is dealing with rising antisemitism. But portion of that is dealing with integration."

The elder Tory MP described the prohibition wide arsenic a "disgrace", saying: "I deliberation the connection that is being sent to Jewish radical successful this state is that they're not invited here.

"This has ever been a harmless haven for Jewish people, and I deliberation to accidental that we could not perchance constabulary Israeli Jewish fans to ticker a shot lucifer safely is reinforcing that connection that Jews are not invited here. And I deliberation that is wrong."

Match classified arsenic 'high risk'

In a connection connected Thursday, Aston Villa said Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group (SAG) - which issues information certificates for each lucifer astatine the crushed - had "formally written to the nine and UEFA to counsel nary distant fans volition beryllium permitted to attend" the fixture astatine Villa Park connected 6 November, arsenic it had been classified arsenic "high risk".

The nine said constabulary had advised of "public information concerns extracurricular the stadium vessel and the quality to woody with immoderate imaginable protests connected the night" - a connection that triggered outrage crossed the governmental spectrum.

The determination has been condemned by governmental and Jewish leaders, including Israeli overseas curate Gideon Sa'ar, who called it a "shameful decision".

The Jewish Leadership Council said it was "perverse" to prohibition distant fans due to the fact that constabulary can't warrant their safety, adding: "Aston Villa should look the consequences of this determination and the lucifer should beryllium played down closed doors."

Read more:
Why are Maccabi Tel Aviv fans banned?
Analysis: Ban raises superior questions

Sky News has contacted Mr Khan for a effect to the comments made this morning.

Former Labour person and present autarkic MP Jeremy Corbyn defended his chap subordinate of the Independent Alliance radical successful parliament yesterday, penning connected X: "Ayoub Khan has been taxable to disgusting smears by MPs and journalists, who person wilfully misrepresented his views successful bid to stoke choler and division."

He added that helium and his colleagues "diligently correspond radical of each faiths and nary successful their communities".