Simon Foster

Simon Foster is the West Midlands police and crime commissioner, responsible for overseeing the West Midlands Police force. He is currently newsworthy due to the controversy surrounding the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending a football match in Birmingham. Following a damning report criticizing the force's use of “exaggerated and untrue” intelligence to justify the ban, the Chief Constable, Craig Guildford, retired. Foster is responsible for deciding if Guildford should lose his job over the incident. He has criticized MPs on the home affairs committee for alleged bias against Guildford, accusing them of briefing journalists that Guildford should be ousted prior to a fair hearing. Foster's role is significant as he is at the center of a politically charged situation involving accusations of antisemitism, police misconduct, and potential political interference.