Mr Hum
PS/Mr Goodlad
Private Secretary
FROM: P F Ricketts
Hong Kong Department
DATE: 26 January 1993
CC: Ms Everett, News Dept
A
B
CALL ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE BY A GROUP OF THREE LIBERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS: MISS EMILY LAU, MISS CHRISTINE LOH AND DR C H LEONG, 26 JANUARY
1.
2.
I submit briefing for this meeting.
Miss Lau and Miss Loh are independent Liberals and represent the more radical end of Liberal opinion in LegCo. Dr Leong belongs to the small, more moderate party, Meeting Point. The three do not, therefore, have a unified view, particularly on the democracy issue. Christine Loh has produced a note of objectives for the visit (attached). They reflect her and Emily Lau's views more than Dr Leong's.
Miss Emily Lau is a directly-elected member (elected with the largest personal vote in September 1991). A former journalist for the Far Eastern Economic Review, she now works full-time for LegCo. She is articulate but inclined to go over the top. She bearded the Secretary of State at the Governor's dinner in Hong Kong last July.
Miss Christine Loh was appointed to LegCo last December. She is a young, bright lawyer, with views as strong as Emily Lau's, but a much more controlled and effective presentation.
Dr C H Leong represents the medical functional constituency. He takes a particular interest in nationality issues and has raised these regularly with the FCO and Home Office Ministers.
3. The timing of this visit, shortly before the Governor is to put his constitutional proposals to LegCo, is clearly intended in part to draw attention to the fact that there is a constituency in Hong Kong which believes that the Governor has not gone far enough on democracy: In addition to their calls on Ministers they have an extensive programme of meetings in Westminster and with the editors of all the main broadsheets.
PF Ricketts
HKD 348/6
RECEI
INU:
27 JAN 1993
UF OFFICES
V