Edinburgh Sucks! | Labour’s overwhelming support for a Criminal

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Labour’s overwhelming support for a Criminal

By The Basa ⋅ September 7, 2005 ⋅

I get taxi's with blue lights on top At a recent meeting of the licensing board Lothian & Borders Chief Constable submitted a lengthy and “very strong” report to the board setting out in great detail why the licensee should be declared “not a fit and proper person” to hold a licence. The licensee, a certain tried and convicted resetter, namely Daniel Wencker, owner of the popular Daniel’s Bistro in Leith’s Commercial Quay for almost ten years served a two months prison sentence.

Jailbird Both the Lib-Dem and Conservative groups on the licensing board voted against the criminal landlord being given the license. However, former Lord Provost Eric “Teeth” Milligan made a long speech in the criminal’s favour and the Labour Group on the Board voted to a man to sustain Teeth Milligan’s support of the licensee and as they were a majority, the license was not suspended/removed, whatever the Chief Constable’s recommendation was.

Teeth, as well as being a member of the Licensing Board, is also Convener of the Lothian Police Board, so his actions are doubly surprising. Surely we citizens would have expected him to back the Chief Constable, especially in his position.

We call for an inquiry into this abuse of power. We call for Eric Milligan to stand down not only as Convenor of the Police Board but to stand down completely from the Police Board. We did not vote for our Council to supply licences to people who have abused their licence, gone to prison for it and then to have a ‘friend’ in the Council who can overide the Chief Constable in such a way. The whole labour group on the Board should be ashamed of themselves.