AUGUST 31, 2002
Chris Patten heads for Spa
Grand Prix racing will have a high profile political visitor on Saturday at Spa with the European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten expected to appear at the track to watch the action.
Patten was a major Conservative politician in the 1980s, becoming Minister for Overseas Development in 1986 and later becoming chairman of the Conservative Party. In 1992 he was appointed Governor of Hong Kong and oversaw the handover of the city to China in 1997. After that he moved back to Europe and is now a leading player in European politics.