Britain on road to 'mob rule' with Maccabi Tel Aviv ban

The barring of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from next month's match at Villa Park signals that Britain is on the way to "mob rule", one of the country's most influential Conservatives will warn in a major speech. Nick Timothy will argue the ban on fans of the Israeli club attending the Birmingham club suggests the UK is heading towards a future where the "state must police the boundaries between different ethnic and religious groups to avoid disorder".

He will warn: "We should be clear that at best this means a more intrusive and dictatorial state, but more likely, sporadic violence and mob rule. Because once the mob knows it gets what it wants with the threat of violence, the more the threats will keep coming, and the more the mob will get."

Aston Villa's announcement on Thursday that the city's Safety Advisory Group (SAG) had decided Maccabi Tel Aviv should not be allowed to attend the November 6 Europa League fixture has triggered outrage and alarm.

Former Hamas hostage Emily Damari said the decision was "like putting a big sign on the outside of a stadium saying 'no Jews allowed'".

Mr Timothy will make a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank on Monday in which he will warn that "fear of threats and physical violence" poses a risk to the future of freedom of speech in this country.

He will argue there is fear within the within the police and criminal justice system of a "loss of control on the streets," saying: "Do not confront the agitators and the thugs - goes this logic - but instead meet them halfway."

Mr Timothy, who served as Theresa May's joint chief of staff, will argue that in this case, "instead of saying the police would do whatever it takes to make the city a safe place for Jews, West Midlands Police surrendered".

He will warn of a situation in which there is "rough justice for those belonging to identity groups that play by the rules, and freedom from justice for those belonging to groups willing to take to the streets and threaten violence".

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said "antisemitism is a stain on our society that shames us all" and pledged the Government is doing everything in its "power to ensure all fans can safely attend the game". Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has branded the ban a "national disgrace".