Part Of Birmingham 'can't Be No-go Area For Jews', Says Cabinet Minister - Beritaja

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

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said he "profoundly" disagrees pinch 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 while he said the authorities is "working pinch the applicable authorities" to overturn the move, he could not guarantee it will 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 will activity pinch section authorities to guarantee some sets of fans could attend.

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

"We are moving pinch the applicable authorities connected this issue, he said. "I deliberation the rule present is we do not want a business wherever group of a peculiar religion aliases from a peculiar state can't travel to a shot lucifer because of their faith, because of wherever they're coming from."

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

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

Asked if Aston is now a no-go area for Jews, Mr Miliband replied: "No and it can't be. And I'm very, very clear about 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 business wherever immoderate area is simply a no-go area for group of a peculiar belief aliases from a peculiar country."

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

This isn't really the immense mostly of group successful the UK operate, he added. "So let's not return this petition and opportunity it paints a image 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 opportunity the mean Muslim organization are a problem successful Britain, but we person seen successful the past extremist Islamism [...] and now we are seeing a activity of group - 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 pinch rising antisemitism. But portion of that is dealing pinch integration."

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

"This has ever been a safe haven for Jewish people, and I deliberation to opportunity that we could not perchance constabulary Israeli Jewish fans to watch 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 will 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 expertise to woody pinch immoderate imaginable protests connected the night" - a connection that triggered outrage crossed the governmental spectrum.

The move 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 because constabulary can't guarantee their safety, adding: "Aston Villa should look the consequences of this determination and the lucifer should beryllium played down closed doors."

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

Beritaja has contacted Mr Khan for a consequence to the comments made this morning.

Former Labour leader and now independent MP Jeremy Corbyn defended his chap personnel of the Independent Alliance group 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 anger and division."

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