New Books Network Ray Yep, "Man in a Hurry: Murray MacLehose and Colonial Autonomy in Hong Kong" (Hong Kong UP, 2024)
Feb 20, 2026
Ray Yep, research director at the Hong Kong History Centre and author of Man in a Hurry, uses archival sleuthing to reframe Murray MacLehose’s governorship. He discusses bargaining with London, McLehose’s media-savvy reforms, the Vietnamese refugee crisis, land-leasing debates, and how 1970s autonomy shaped Hong Kong’s later trajectory.
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Experience Built Leverage With London
- McLehose's prior experience as a political adviser and diplomat gave him leverage and rapport with London.
- That background helped him navigate Whitehall and build trust to push local agendas.
London Acted When It Needed To
- London intervened selectively based on perceived costs of inaction, urgency, and whether the colony could handle problems.
- These political judgments created space for Hong Kong to act when London judged risks low or costly to itself.
Manage Information To Strengthen Your Case
- Withhold and shape information carefully because local officials know realities London cannot see quickly.
- Mobilize selected local elites and managed public opinion to strengthen bargaining positions with the metropole.
