A brilliant political career
Following a brilliant career in the British Conservative Party, which included a term as deputy prime minister in Margaret Thatcher’s government, Chris Patten became chairman of the Tories in 1990. He was seen as the architect of John Major’s electoral victory in 1992, but those elections put an end to his own leadership ambitions when he lost his seat in the House of Commons. He was then appointed governor of Hong Kong, overseeing its handover to China in 1997. His name became better known in Greece during his term as European Commissioner for External Relations (1999-2004). On his return from Brussels he was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord Patten of Barnes and is now chancellor of Oxford University. Patten was in Athens last Thursday at the invitation of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) to deliver a lecture on peace prospects for the Middle East and the role of Europe.
