Aitken wins vote to lead 'the best small city on the planet'

Published on Wednesday 23 August 2006 01:05

EWAN Aitken was last night chosen as the next leader of the City of Edinburgh Council.

The capital's education leader, an ordained Church of Scotland minister who became a full-time politician, defeated fellow councillor Elizabeth Maginnis by 17 votes to 13 to win the nomination from the city's ruling Labour group.

The vote followed an earlier ballot to narrow down the candidates from three to two. In the first ballot Mr Aitken took 14 votes to Ms Maginnis's 13 with the city's planning convener, Trevor Davies, taking just three.

Speaking outside the City Chambers after he emerged from a tense Labour group meeting, Mr Aitken, 44, said he was "deeply honoured to be asked to serve as council leader of the best small city on the planet".

Flanked by the outgoing leader, Donald Anderson, Mr Aitken said his first priority would be to spend as much time as possible "listening and learning from the people of Edinburgh" to allow Labour to construct its manifesto for next May's council elections.

Mr Aitken, who formally takes over as leader next Tuesday, said he would also make it a priority to demand that more of the money raised through business rates in Edinburgh is given back to the city by the Scottish Executive.

Despite Ms Maginnis's strong showing, Mr Aitken last night refused to promise that he would give the former education convener a place within the city's executive. However, speaking after the result was announced Ms Maginnis, 52, said she would accept a senior position if it was offered.

She said she had come into the leadership race "to shake it up" and that her campaign had ensured her opponents had admitted the Labour administration had made mistakes, particularly in failing to win a majority in the referendum on congestion charging.

Ms Maginnis said: "Ewan has accepted that the congestion charging was mishandled and that was an important epiphany for the group to recognise. We made a serious mistake." She said Labour now had to demonstrate to the voters of Edinburgh that it was not anti-car.

Mr Anderson, who is stepping down after seven years to challenge for a seat at Holyrood, said he was "delighted and proud" that Mr Aitken would be taking over.

Mr Anderson said: "Ewan is one of the outstanding talents in Edinburgh council. He has the right combination of toughness and tenderness. Ewan is a doer. He is a thinker. He is a deliverer but he is also a listener."

Although the Labour group in the city is still clearly divided, Mr Aitken's victory was clearer than the one-vote win which took Mr Anderson into power.

But opposition councillors said the vote highlighted divisions within the Labour group.

"The result was entirely predictable," Steve Cardownie, of the SNP, said last night. "The 17-13 vote is a clear indication that there is this huge split in the Labour group."

Liberal Democrat councillor Jenny Dawe said: "I hope Councillor Ewan Aitken will enjoy his leadership while he can. This is a short-lived triumph."