CIVIL servants have threatened to cast a vote of no confidence in the Governor, Chris Patten, in protest against his handling of their pay rise dispute.

The proposal, first raised in a staff side meeting of the Senior Civil Service Council last week, secured support from other staff associations yesterday when they met to map out action for the pay battle. Civil servants have focused the attack on the Governor because they believe it is he who is insisting their demand for a committee of inquiry be rejected.