The Young Turks should have the courage to form their own labour party instead of staying on as a nuisance to the Democratic Party, according to party legislator Michael Ho Mun-ka.
Mr Ho, who represents the health services in the legislature, announced last Wednesday he would not run in September's election. The move was seen as a blow to the Democrats, who have been losing popular support.
Mr Ho said the party faced a serious ideological divide, between mainstream Democrats who advocate a middle-class road and Young Turks who favour a grassroots approach.
'Everyone who loves the party feels heartache,' he said, adding that if the Young Turks felt so strongly, they should form a Democratic Labour Party. 'We can still co-operate on the road to democracy. On socio-economic matters, we can be different.' He admitted that without strong union support and without a clear platform, the Young Turks would have little hope of survival. 'Problems take time to solve,' he said.
Mr Ho said his resignation was for family reasons. 'Family is my major concern. My father is 85, my mother is 79. I also want to spare more time for my wife and daughter.' Complaints from within his constituency that he was not working hard enough to further the interests of nurses and therapists were unfair, he said.
He said his detractors should ask themselves how much support they had given to the work of unions. He compared the fight for the interests of health service workers to the campaign for the liberation of women.