Labour hits back in unlicensed premises row

17 January, 2006

The Labour Party has hit back at Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Willott in the escalating row over unlicensed Welsh premises.

Ms Willott (pictured) had accused the government of “turning a blind eye and refusing to pick up the pieces from the mess they have created", after her party presented research showing that 175 Welsh premises are operating without valid licences.

But a Labour Party spokeswoman said: “The Lib Dems enthusiastically backed our reforms of the licensing laws, then changed their minds during the media backlash.

“Jenny Willott also changed her mind from supporting Charles Kennedy to stabbing him in the back within 24 hours, so we will take no lessons from her.

“The doom-mongering before the implementation of the Licensing Act has been proven to be wrong. The licensing authority is the Liberal Democrat-led Cardiff Council, so she should be taking this matter up with her colleagues."