MR Patten criticised Democratic Party chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming, a fierce critic of the Court of Final Appeal Bill, for not attending his question and answer sessions. He said the 'erroneous' argument put forward by Mr Lee and his colleagues against the bill was a result of their frequent absence.
'The reason why they keep on saying things about the bill which are so damagingly wrong, is that they are so rarely in the chamber to actually discuss the issue with the Governor when he turns up to talk about it,' he said. Mr Lee, a leading QC, said last night Mr Patten's remarks were misleading. He said he was unable to attend the Governor's session because he was in court. He had attended every meeting of the committee studying the bill and resented any implication to the contrary.
'Judges know when a barrister resorts to this sort of language and personal attacks, he has a very bad case indeed,' Mr Lee said. The Attorney-General and the Governor had declined repeatedly to go on the air to discuss the court, he said.
