INDEPENDENT MPs have called for Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to resign for her “grossly misleading” comments over the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending next month’s Europa League match against Aston Villa.

The Safety Advisory Group, which issues safety certificates for all matches at Villa Park, said last week that visiting fans of the Israeli team would be barred from attending the November 6 game amid security concerns.

The decision was based on West Midlands Police’s risk assessment, which classified the match as “high risk.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer led the criticism of the move, describing it as the wrong decision and said the government was working “at pace” to overturn it after asking the force to review its original assessment.

The Guardian revealed evidence that the assessment had identified Maccabi fans themselves as the biggest potential source of disorder.

It is understood that the report has not been disputed by the police.

However, Ms Nandy told MPs on Monday that the risk assessment was “based in no small part on the risk posed to those fans that are attending who support Maccabi because they are Israeli, and because they are Jewish,” adding that the country “should be appalled” by that.

The Independent Alliance — whose members include Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn, Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana and Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan — said that the comments “stand in direct contradiction to police intelligence.”

The MPs said Ms Nandy “must return to Parliament and correct the record,” adding: “She must tell us whether she was in possession of this intelligence before she made her statement to the House.

“If she has knowingly shared false information, we believe this is a resigning matter.

“Lisa Nandy’s grossly misleading comments have served as the basis for appalling accusations about the motivations of those who support this ban.”

The statement said the government has “taken an issue of public safety and distorted the facts for political ends — and it has been caught out.”

“This is about a group of fans with a history of racism and violence,” they said. “This is not about banning Jewish people.

“The attempt to conflate the two is a shameful attempt to exploit the fear and anxieties of Jewish communities.”

A Government spokesperson said: “The Government has been working around the clock to defend a basic principle - that football fans should be able to enjoy a game without fear of intimidation or violence.

“We are deeply saddened Maccabi Tel Aviv have turned down their away fan allocation but we respect their right to do so.

“It is completely unacceptable that this game has been weaponised to stoke violence and fear by those who seek to divide us. We will never tolerate antisemitism or extremism on our streets. We will continue to work closely with the police to ensure that this game goes ahead safely, and that Jewish communities across this country get the safety and security they deserve.”