ACTION ALERT: WRITE TO YOUR MP TO DEMAND LISA NANDY CORRECT THE RECORD ON MACABI BAN
Friday October 24 2025
Earlier this week, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy made two false and divisive statements in Parliament about the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending their club’s match against Aston Villa.
She wrongly claimed this was “the first time since the early 2000s that a decision has been taken to ban entirely away fans from attending a game.” This is simply untrue as similar bans have taken place in recent years, including Rangers v Napoli (2022), Villa v Legia Warsaw (2023), and Celtic v Rangers (2025).
More troublingly, Nandy stated that the police decision was “based in no small part on the risk posed to those fans that are attending who support Maccabi Tel Aviv, because they are Israeli and because they are Jewish.” However, police intelligence shows the opposite. The ban was issued due to concerns about violence from Maccabi Tel Aviv fans themselves following incidents in Amsterdam last year.
By misrepresenting this as antisemitic discrimination, the Culture Secretary risks fuelling division and undermining public confidence in policing and public safety decisions. It is unacceptable for a minister to mislead Parliament.
Write to your MP to demand that Lisa Nandy corrects the record and upholds the integrity of public office. You can also file a complaint directly with the Cabinet Office for breach of the Ministerial Code.
ACT NOW by following this step-by-step guide on how to write to your MP:
Step 1: Scroll below to the box for inputting your postcode
Step 2: Enter your postcode and click “find”
Step 3: Click the ‘send a message’ option found next to your local MP’s photograph
Step 4: Copy and paste the body of the template email below into your email. (IMPORTANT: EDIT THE EMAIL INTO YOUR OWN WORDS, MPS EMAIL SYSTEMS TEND TO DELETE IDENTICAL COPIES)
Dear [MP’s Name],
I am writing as your constituent to raise serious concerns about false and divisive comments made by the Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, in Parliament regarding the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at their upcoming match against Aston Villa.
Nandy stated that this was the first ban since the early 2000s and that the decision was “based in no small part on the risk posed to those fans because they are Israeli and because they are Jewish.” Both claims are false.
Police intelligence has shown that the main risk arose from violent behaviour by some Maccabi Tel Aviv fans themselves, not antisemitic threats. By falsely framing the issue as one of antisemitism, Nandy’s comments misrepresent policing decisions and risk deepening community tensions at a sensitive time.
Misleading Parliament breaches the Ministerial Code and undermines public trust. I urge you to call on the Culture Secretary to correct the record immediately and reaffirm a commitment to truth, accountability and community cohesion.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
Step 5: Fill in the remaining information in the ‘About You’ section
Step 6: Hit “Preview and send”
“Dear [MP’s Name],
I am writing as your constituent to raise serious concerns about false and divisive comments made by the Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, in Parliament regarding the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at their upcoming match against Aston Villa.
Nandy stated that this was the first ban since the early 2000s and that the decision was “based in no small part on the risk posed to those fans because they are Israeli and because they are Jewish.” Both claims are false.
Police intelligence has shown that the main risk arose from violent behaviour by some Maccabi Tel Aviv fans themselves, not antisemitic threats. By falsely framing the issue as one of antisemitism, Nandy’s comments misrepresent policing decisions and risk deepening community tensions at a sensitive time.
Misleading Parliament breaches the Ministerial Code and undermines public trust. I urge you to call on the Culture Secretary to correct the record immediately and reaffirm a commitment to truth, accountability and community cohesion.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]”