On paper, it was a consensus: expand the dual filing system, enshrine the listing rules in law and leave the front-line regulatory role for new listings to the stock exchange.
Such was the compelling view of the 48 submissions that became the bedrock of the government's conclusions yesterday.
Except that the 52 people who agreed with David Webb's contrarian stance were bundled into one voice. In a footnote.
Mr Webb gleaned diverse support, from members of the Democratic Party to harbour activist Paul Zimmerman and veterinarian David Plumb.
Yet this counted as just one submission. However, the views of Stanley Ho's offspring Lawrence Ho managed to score four separate submissions: through three of his companies and board membership of the Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies.
'I'm not arguing that this should be a consensus or referendum,' Mr Webb said yesterday. 'But I think it's rather insulting just to put it in a footnote.'
