The Labour leader and prime ministerial candidate is under pressure to take a clearer line on human rights issues involving Beijing, but any criticism is expected to remain muted.

Concern group argues that earlier agreement states the area in Central should be opened to public when not under military use.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with Wong, he is a highly talented politician, a rarity in Hong Kong, now denied a chance to move forward from the role of protester to that of a constitutionally elected representative of his constituents.

Legal scholars say the power to disqualify candidates was ‘broad’ and appeared ‘unchecked’.

Former student leader of the 2014 Occupy movement ‘cannot possibly’ comply with election laws, says government, citing his former advocacy of self-determination.

Activist’s candidacy still in limbo after source reveals that not one election officer on Hong Kong Island agreed to take the vacant vetting job.

Chu says he changed his mind after a court in September ruled ‘self-determination’ was not compatible with Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

Hatred of China and all things Chinese is fuelling the protest violence. By aiming their fury at the ‘outsider’, radical protesters will only ensure that the many reasonable demands of the anti-government movement go unheard.

Such ‘tone-deaf narrative … might play well to a domestic nationalist audience’ but damages ‘China’s nascent efforts at building soft power across Asia’, academic says.

Pro-democracy activists arrange backup candidates to contest in polls as returning officers keep grilling them on their political stance.

‘I was asked for my opinion as to what [Lam] should do, and my reply was that she is in a dilemma and she should resign,’ Mahathir says.

Department of Justice ‘issues summons’ to party vice-chairman Isaac Cheng and two others for ‘violating executive order’ on March 16.