Chris Patten

Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC ( born May 12, 1944 in Cleveleys, Lancashire ) is a British politician, and was the last governor of Hong Kong and European Commissioner.

Life

After his studies at the St. Benedict 's School, Ealing, and Balliol College, Oxford University, Patten worked from 1966 for the Conservative Party of Great Britain, first in the Research Department.

From 1979 to 1992 he was a Member of Parliament in the House and held in the Cabinet Thatcher in various posts including Minister of Education (1985 - 1986), Minister for Development (1986 - 1989) and Secretary of State for the Environment (1989 - 1990). As Secretary General, he helped John Major in 1992 to an unexpected election victory.

In July 1992, Patten was appointed as the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong. The post he held until the return of the former crown colony to the People's Republic of China in 1997. Unlike all governors before him, Patten rejected the title of nobility offered, because he was not willing to give up his political career.

Since 1999 he has been Chancellor of Newcastle University and was elected Chancellor of the University of Oxford in 2003.

From 1999 to 2004 he was a member of the European Commission responsible for External Relations. In this office he was followed in November by the Austrian Benita Ferrero- Waldner. After his return to England he was then but raised to the peerage. In 2010 he organized on behalf of the British government the first visit of a pope as head of state in the UK for 476 years by accepting the invitation of the head of the Church of England Elizabeth II

In April 2011, Patten was appointed Chairman of the BBC Trust.

Writings

  • The Tory Case. Longman, London et al 1983, ISBN 0-582-29612-9.
  • East and West. The last Governor of Hong Kong on power, freedom and the future. Macmillan, Longman, London ua 1998, ISBN 0-333-74787-9 ( German: .. Asia - The End of the Future The last Governor of Hong Kong on the economic and political development in the Far East Luebbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1998, ISBN 3-7857 -0947-1 ).
  • Not Quite the Diplomat. Home Truths about World Affairs. Allen Lane, London 2005, ISBN 0-7139-9855-5.
  • Cousins ​​and Strangers. America, Britain and Europe in a New Century. Times Books, New York, NY, 2006, ISBN 0 - 8050-7788 -X.
List of journeys of Pope Benedict XVI Hansard Michel Barnier Frits Bolkestein David Byrne (politician) Anna Diamantopoulou Franz Fischler Neil Kinnock Pascal Lamy Erkki Liikanen Mario Monti Poul Nielson Loyola de Palacio Romano Prodi Viviane Reding Michaele Schreyer Pedro Solbes Jacques Barrot Stavros Dimas Siim Kallas Olli Rehn Jean Rey (politician) Christopher Soames, Baron Soames Wilhelm Haferkamp Willy De Clercq Frans Andriessen Hans van den Broek Major ministry Jonathan Aitken Kenneth Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking Kenneth Clarke Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean Roger Freeman, Baron Freeman John Gummer William Hague Jeremy Hanley Douglas Hogg Michael Howard Douglas Hurd Norman Lamont Ian Lang, Baron Lang of Monkton Peter Lilley John MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern Brian Mawhinney, Baron Mawhinney Patrick Mayhew, Baron Mayhew of Twysden David Mellor Tony Newton, Baron Newton of Braintree John Patten, Baron Patten Michael Portillo John Redwood Malcolm Rifkind Gillian Shephard Sir George Young, 6th Baronet Alastair Goodlad, Baron Goodlad David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn Integrated Authority File
187483
de