Official complaints have been lodged against a Birmingham Labour city councillor who had a say in the controversial decision to ban fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv from a Villa match.
Waseem Zaffar has also come under fire from MPs in his own party - including Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley MP Tahir Ali - amid accusations he was 'biased' and should not have been part of the decision making process.
His actions are now the subject of official complaints being considered by Birmingham City Council amid fallout over the decision. The council is now reviewing whether the complaints warrant a full standards investigation.
The Labour councillor, a Villa season ticket holder, was one of two city councillors who attended the decision making Safety Advisory Group meetings that agreed the controversial ban following a recommendation by West Midlands Police.
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He had previously publicly pressed for a ban on Israeli clubs in sport over Israel's actions in Gaza, and had written an opinion piece setting out why he was personally boycotting the Villa game against Maccabi Tel Aviv because of Israel's 'genocide'.
Several weeks later he was one of just two city councillors to have a say at a critical meeting of the Safety Advisory Group where it was agreed to ban away fans, largely on the basis of their history of 'hooliganism' and potential disorder.
One complaint, seen by BirminghamLive, claims he held 'deeply anti Israel and anti Zionist beliefs that equated to antisemitism' and that he has brought the council into disrepute as a result. Cllr Zaffar rejects claims of antisemitism and of failing to declare his position.
Another claims he failed to properly declare his interest in the issue, as required under the council's Code of Conduct, before being part of the decision making meetings.
Cllr Zaffar said he would cooperate with any future investigation.
Earlier this month Cllr Zaffar was slated at a meeting of the Home Affairs Committee which was investigating the Maccabi Tel Aviv ban decision amid mounting disquiet. Committee member Joani Reid, Labour MP, had queried why a city councillor who had previously made 'antisemitic comments and generalisations on Twitter and in public' had been part of the decision making SAG.
She said: "I think it's clear that there was a very serious error of judgment here, which has really harmed the confidence of the Jewish community in Birmingham, that such people with such predetermined views of of the Jewish community and Israelis were allowed to be involved in that committee meeting."
She later described the councillor's contributions to the discussion, as recorded in SAG meeting minutes' as 'antisemitic ramblings of a far left councillor.' Her criticism was voiced under cover of parliamentary privilege. Later asked to highlight which sections of the minutes she was referring to, or to justify her allegations of 'antisemitism' with specifics, Joani Reid declined to comment.
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In response to her comments, Birmingham's council leader, Cllr John Cotton, Lab, told the committee he would 'expect any member who participates in any meeting to declare interest appropriately, and I'd expect them to abide by the Council Code of Conduct."
The council's director of governance, Tony Cox, asked if it was 'legally and morally appropriate' for councillors with strong opinions over the match to participate in the SAG. He told the committee: "Each individual member of the committee, council or otherwise, actually has to take a personal decision as to whether or not they can make an informed decision without predetermining something. It's very much a personal obligation on the individual involved."
'Biased' councillors must be 'held to account'
Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley MP Tahir Ali, speaking in the House of Commons this week, Wednesday January 14, said councillors on the SAG - including one he was 'ashamed to say in my own party' (meaning Cllr Zaffar) - were 'biased'.
He told Parliament: "Birmingham City Council's safety advisory group members who took part in reaching the ban decision should also be held to account.
"I think it was right and proper to have an independent report, the findings of which nobody can challenge...but it was not just the chief constable that should be the scapegoat here.
"The safety advisory group included members who were biased and in there with an agenda, including some I am ashamed to say in my own party.
"Should the home secretary agree that tough action should be taken against individuals who set out to influence the decision on a personal basis rather than as an independent member?"
In response the Home Secretary said she 'shared the concern that is incumbent on us to ensure the arrangements we have in place that are capable of delivering dispassionate, fact based findings as to what risk an event poses - and other political agendas are not brought into play."
Cllr Zaffar said in a statement: "I completely reject any suggestion that I made antisemitic comments during the Safety Advisory Group meetings.
"I attended two SAG meetings as one of 85 members invited. At the first meeting on 7 October, I made clear that regardless of any personal views about the match, our focus had to be on safety for fans, staff and the local community.
"The Safety Advisory Group is an advisory committee and the final decision rests with the Chair. The SAG decided to follow the advice of West Midlands Police."
He said he had made clear at the start of the SAG meeting of October 6 of his interests, with respect to being an Aston Villa season ticket holder and my public comments about the fixture."
He added: "I will cooperate fully with any standards investigation should one be necessary. I am not aware of any complaints made against me."
Birmingham City Council said in response to our inquiries, without identifying a councillor: "We can confirm that a complaint has been made against a councillor. An assessment will now be made to determine whether the complaint meets the threshold for any further action."