A government minister has hit out at the “wrong decision” to ban Israeli football fans from attending a match in Birmingham.

Ian Murray said people should not be prevented from attending public events because of their “race, religion or creed”.

He said most people in the UK would be “horrified” by the ban.

His comments came as Keir Starmer and Downing Street officials try to ensure Maccabi Tel Aviv are able to watch their team take on Aston Villa in the Europa League next month.

A furious political row has erupted after the city’s Safety Advisory Group, which is responsible for issuing safety certificates for every match at Villa Park, told the club no away fans will be permitted to attend the November 6 fixture.

The decision was backed by West Midlands Police, who said they had

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