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Louis Won

THE war of words between the Democratic Party and Governor Chris Patten raged on yesterday.

   The pro-democracy party rejected Mr Patten's accusation that its planned Legislative Council motion of no confidence in him was just 'gesture politics'.

   Party vice-chairman Dr Yeung Sum said they wanted to express their dissatisfaction with what they saw as Britain's sacrifice of the rule of law when it signed the agreement with China on the Court of Final Appeal.

   They have branded the deal a sell-out because it does not accept the common law interpretation of acts of state - raising fears about which matters the court will have a final say on.

   Democratic Party leader Martin Lee Chu-ming said it was unforgivable that the British Government would not leave behind a good legal system in 1997.

  However, Mr Patten said he was 'not losing any sleep' over the no-confidence motion, which is due to be introduced on July 12.

  He said: 'I think it's gesture politics - empty gesture politics - and merely tells us that the Democratic Party's election campaign is starting rather earlier this year.'   Mr Lee said the party had not yet started lobbying legislators to support the motion, but he thought there was a good chance it would be passed. It would be difficult for legislators to find a good reason to support the Governor after they asked themselves whether the agreement would be good for the rule of law.

  Mr Lee said that if the motion passed with government-appointed members' support, London should consider whether to recall Mr Patten.

  The president of the Legislative Council, Sir John Swaine, will decide whether the motion can be moved. Mr Lee said he believed Mr Swaine was fair-minded.

  Last June, Mr Patten was censured when he rejected an attempt by the major political parties to freeze the rates.

   Liberal Party legislator Ronald Arculli said his party would study the motion before deciding to vote.

  He said the party had reservations about the wording of the first part of the motion, which says the British and Hong Kong governments 'have seriously damaged the future rule of law in Hong Kong'.



Patten shrugs off threat of no-confidence vote