A LEFT-WING Jewish group said this weekend that it deeply regrets that Craig Guildford was forced out for trying to do his job.

Jewish Voice for Liberation (JVL) backed the former West Midlands chief constable’s decision to ban Israel’s notoriously racist Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from a match against Aston Villa in Birmingham in November amid concerns of violence aimed at the city’s large Muslim population.

Procedural errors revealed by an independent inquiry into the decision led to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood telling the Commons that Mr Guildford had lost her confidence.

As Mr Guildford announced his early retirement on Friday, saying that the political and media frenzy around his position had become detrimental to the force, JVL chair Jenny Mason and member David Monk wrote to West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner Simon Foster.

They said: “We deeply regret the forcing from office of Chief Constable Guildford, which we learned of during the writing of this letter.

“Despite his resignation, we believe that the issue is not all over, and we urge all concerned to review carefully the pressures they were subjected to and the decisions they have taken in response to these pressures.”

Mr Guildford’s decision to step down with immediate effect as the head of the force was announced by Mr Foster, who had the power to sack him but did not.

Speaking outside police headquarters in Birmingham, Mr Foster welcomed the decision and said Mr Guildford “acted with honour.”

However, the Independent Office for Police Conduct director general Rachel Watson said: “Our interest in the actions of former chief constable Guildford, and other officers involved, does not end following his decision to step down.”