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Revision as of 15:47, 31 August 2003 by Rbrwr (talk | contribs) (Liberal Democrat (UK))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Christopher Francis Patten was a prominent British Conservative politician in the early 1990s.
Biography
Educated in St Benedict's School, Ealing, and Balliol College, Oxford, he had worked in the Conservative Party since 1966, starting in its research department. He was a member of the British House of Commons from 1979 to 1992, and Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 until 1992 before losing his seat for Bath to the Liberal Democrat Don Foster at the 1992 UK general election. Later he became the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong until its handover to Chinese rule in 1997. He was given an official Chinese name (彭定康) for his governorship.
Chris Patten was the only professional politican taking the job as Hong Kong Governor. Unlike previous Hong Kong Governors, he refused to be knighted--he was not willing to give up his political career. During his governorship, he extended the definition of function constituencies and thus virtually every Hongkonger was able to vote for the so-called indirectly elected members (see Politics of Hong Kong). His measure was stongly objected and he himself was orally insulted by the Chinese government. The overreaction of Chinese government indeed rised the popularity of Chris Patten to a level he never enjoyed outside England.
As of March 2003, he is one of 20 European Commissioners and has responsibility for External Relations. He is also the chancellor for the universities of Newcastle and Oxford.
Bibliography
Written by Chris Patten
- The Tory Case (1983) ISBN 0582296129
- East and West (1999), about his governorship in Hong Kong. ISBN 0771069812
About Chris Patten
- Jonathan Dimbleby, The Last Governor (1997) ISBN 0316185833