68 Facts About Chris Patten

Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, is a British politician who was the Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1992, and the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997.

Chris Patten was made a life peer in 2005 and served as Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 2003 to 2024.

Chris Patten is one of two living former governors of Hong Kong, alongside David Wilson.

Chris Patten studied history at Balliol College, Oxford, and, after graduating in 1965, he began working for the Conservative Party.

Chris Patten was elected Member of Parliament for Bath in 1979.

Chris Patten was appointed Secretary of State for the Environment by Margaret Thatcher in 1989 as part of her third ministry, becoming responsible for implementation of the unpopular poll tax.

On John Major's succession as Prime Minister in 1990, Chris Patten became Chairman of the Conservative Party and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Chris Patten was then appointed the last governor of Hong Kong, to oversee the final years of British administration in the colony and prepare for its transfer to China in 1997.

Chris Patten was European Commissioner for External Relations from 1999 to 2004 and Chairman of the BBC Trust from 2011 to 2014.

Chris Patten was born in Thornton-Cleveleys in Lancashire, where his mother had fled to from Exeter, which had recently been significantly damaged by the Baedeker raids.

Chris Patten grew up in an Irish Catholic family in west London, the son of an unsuccessful music publisher whose ancestors had come to England from County Roscommon, Ireland.

Chris Patten worked for the Conservative Party from 1966, first as desk officer and then director of the Conservative Research Department.

Chris Patten was the Conservative Party candidate for Lambeth Central at the February 1974 general election, but lost to the Labour Party candidate, Marcus Lipton.

Chris Patten was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bath in 1979, and served until he was unseated in 1992.

Chris Patten was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Northern Ireland Office in June 1983.

Chris Patten was promoted to be a Minister of State in the Department of Education and Science in September 1985, and was named Minister for Overseas Development at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in September 1986.

Chris Patten introduced, and steered through Parliament, the major legislation that became the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Chris Patten's defeat was attributed to factors such as the Poll Tax.

Chris Patten turned down offers of a new post and instead, in July 1992, he became the 28th and the last governor of Hong Kong until its transfer of sovereignty to China on 30 June 1997.

Chris Patten was given an official Chinese name, Pang Ding-hong, a name with an etymology based on the words "stability" and "calm; joyous; healthy".

Chris Patten's tenure faced several different challenges, as many in Hong Kong were still reeling from the Tiananmen Square massacre a few years earlier.

Chris Patten took steps to get in touch with the people of the colony, and was known for his penchant for taking public strolls around Hong Kong as well as in the media limelight.

In contrast to his predecessors, Chris Patten decided not to wear the official Court uniform on formal occasions.

Beijing had expected that the use of functional constituencies with limited electorates would be used to elect this council, however Chris Patten extended the definition of functional constituencies and thus virtually every Hong Konger was able to vote for the so-called indirectly elected members of the Legislative Council.

Chris Patten's actions were strongly criticised by the pro-Beijing political parties of Hong Kong.

The legislative council which was elected under Chris Patten's governorship was dissolved upon the handover of Hong Kong to the PRC and replaced by a Provisional Legislative Council which did not have any democratic functions until elections were held under the previous rules in 1998.

Chris Patten was noted to be in tears throughout the day, notably after his speech at Tamar.

Chris Patten has since commented that his governorship of Hong Kong was a happy time for him personally as he shared this experience with his wife and children.

Chris Patten is the co-chair of International Crisis Group, overseeing many international operations.

Chris Patten is a member of the Global Leadership Foundation, an organisation which works to promote good governance around the world.

Chris Patten held this position within the Prodi Commission from 23 January 2000 until 22 November 2004.

Chris Patten oversaw many crises in the area of European foreign policy, most notably the failure of the European Union to come up with a common unified policy before the Iraq War in 2003.

Chris Patten considered that the EU had become overly dependent on Russian energy supplies, and should become more engaged with the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia in order to diversify supplies.

Chris Patten was the biggest proponent in the commission for Turkey's accession to the European Union.

Chris Patten was Chancellor of Newcastle University from 1999 to 2009.

Chris Patten retired as chancellor of the University of Oxford on 31 July 2024, ahead of his 80th birthday and after 21 years in post.

On 11 January 2005 Chris Patten was created a life peer as Baron Chris Patten of Barnes, of Barnes in the London Borough of Richmond.

Chris Patten submitted his letter of resignation as BBC Trust Chairman to the Secretary of State on 6 May 2014; citing health reasons following his heart bypass surgery on 28 April.

In May 2016, Chris Patten said that the BBC has "lost some of its ambition" in its coverage of science, philosophy and history, and should "stretch" audiences more.

Chris Patten bemoaned the fact that much of the corporation's high-brow programming had been moved to BBC Four, the digital channel, and given low budgets that meant shows were "sometimes made with glue and string".

In May 2020, Chris Patten said that there was a case for a multilateral mission to travel to Wuhan to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Chris Patten argued the Chinese government had breached its obligations as a member of the World Health Organization and the 2005 International Health Regulations treaty.

On March 20,2014, Chris Patten gave a talk at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum co-organized by Oxford University where he expressed his views on Hong Kong Basic Law and the "one country, two systems" principle.

Chris Patten opined that the situation in Hong Kong was good but not perfect but believed that the British people could have done more for political reform before leaving Hong Kong.

Chris Patten emphasized that political and economic freedoms are closely linked, and that when one freedom is eroded, the other will be affected.

In July 2014, Chris Patten criticised The Practice of the 'One Country, Two Systems' Policy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region white paper issued by the People's Republic of China for interfering with Hong Kong's judicial independence.

Chris Patten said that if Hong Kongers believe that the Sino-British Joint Declaration has been undermined, it is completely reasonable to express concerns to China and Britain and lodge a peaceful protest.

Chris Patten criticized the Beijing government for reneging on its promise to allow Hong Kong autonomy.

In November 2014, Chris Patten gave evidence to a hearing of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on the implementation of the "Sino-British Joint Declaration" in Hong Kong.

Chris Patten said that the Hong Kong Police Force is one of the top police forces in the world, but they had become a basis for politics.

Chris Patten argued that Hong Kong's problem is a serious lack of leadership and the chief executive and the SAR government have the ability to pressure and convince demonstrators to negotiate, temporarily end protest, and return to school or work.

In June 2015, Chris Patten was interviewed by Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily.

Chris Patten expressed the belief that even if a political reform plan is rejected, Hong Kong's democracy will not reach a dead end and was confident that Hong Kong will one day have democracy.

In 2016, Chris Patten expressed opposition to hypothetical Hong Kong independence, arguing such a move "dilutes support for democracy" and that moves towards universal suffrage in Hong Kong should not be conflated with independence.

Chris Patten undertook a tour of Hong Kong in November 2016 where gave a public lecture at the Foreign Correspondents' Club and later spoke at a student forum organised by the University of Hong Kong.

Chris Patten emphasized that the cornerstone of Hong Kong's success lies in the rule of law, which is guaranteed by the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

Chris Patten addressed the Causeway Bay Books disappearances, saying he was saddened such an incident had happened in Hong Kong and asked why the international community paid so little attention.

Chris Patten did not directly comment on the performance of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, but argued Hong Kong's Chief Executive should face Beijing on behalf of Hong Kong people, not Hong Kong people on behalf of Beijing.

Chris Patten argued that during the last ten to fifteen years of British rule in Hong Kong, more democracy should have been promoted and that if Hong Kong had more years of democratic experience, it would be more difficult for the Chinese government to reverse Hong Kong's democratic process and all Hong Kongers would have openly noticed any democratic backsliding.

In March 2023, Chris Patten was one of 47 British lawmakers to sign an open letter urging the Hong Kong authorities to release Claudia Mo on humanitarian grounds to visit her critically ill husband in hospital.

Chris Patten married Lavender Thornton, a barrister, on 11 September 1971.

In October 2009, Chris Patten was Chief Guest at The Doon School, a boarding school in Dehradun, India, which is a member of the United Kingdom's Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.

Chris Patten is a Catholic and oversaw Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom in September 2010.

In February 2010, Chris Patten was appointed President of Medical Aid for Palestinians, but he stepped down in June 2011.

Chris Patten is portrayed the video game Hong Kong 97 as ordering Chin, an unspecified relative of Bruce Lee, to massacre the entire population of mainland China.

Chris Patten was appointed Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter in April 2023 by King Charles III.

In November 2016 Chris Patten was made a Commander of the Legion of Honour, and was presented with the insignia by Sylvie Bermann, the French ambassador to the United Kingdom, at Kensington Palace Gardens.

In March 2009, Chris Patten received the title Doctor honoris causa by South East European University.