Over the next five years he kept this diary, which describes in detail how Hong Kong was run as a British colony and what happened as the handover approached. Unexpectedly, his opponents included not only the Chinese themselves, but some British businessmen and civil service mandarins upset by Patten's efforts, for whom political freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong seemed less important than keeping on the right side of Beijing. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Observer View image in fullscreen ‘The politics, in his words, were a “snake pit”. But it is also to be treasured for the brilliant and fierce concluding essay on China's recent crackdown which has destroyed Hong Kong's way of life. He also assaults China’s Xi-era view that the 1984 joint declaration, which was supposed to apply until 2047, is now just a historical document of no further relevance.

From reading them, you would never guess how heavily invested British security and intelligence were in Hong Kong. For anyone who has a special interest, ties to and direct experience of HK as I have been lucky to have, this book is a must read.Strained relations extended even to his more natural political allies, the Hong Kong democrats led by Martin Lee. Here are some remarkable snippets: “I am going to have to go on making the distinction between what so many rich people think is all right for Hong Kong and what they want for their own families. It is valuable that his diary entries include views and analyses that were very different from his (some of which he vilified). The book is a collection of diaries from the last governor of Hong Kong, who is one of the greatest politicians in his time.

But he had one supreme advantage – the loyal backing of John Major, the prime minister, and Douglas Hurd, the foreign secretary, back in London. It struck me that in hindsight we had the benefit of some effective political figures, including John Major, during that time - if only we had known it then.But the governor’s frustration with much of the business elite, anxious only to kowtow to Beijing and go on making a lot of money, was almost as great.