Lawmakers Lock Horns Over Plan To Oust James To

Lawmakers are holding a heated debate at the Legislative Council over whether to remove the Democratic Party's James To from his role presiding over a bills committee that is examining proposed changes to the extradition law.

The committee has failed to elect a chairman at its first two meetings, and the pro-establishment camp has accused To of filibustering.

During a special House Committee meeting on Saturday afternoon, opposition lawmakers said issuing guidelines to instruct the bills committee to replace To with pro-government lawmaker Abraham Shek would go against Legco rules.

"What the pro-Beijing camp is doing is basically trying to dictate Legco", Civic Party leader Alvin Yeung said.

But the pro-government camp disagrees, saying there’s an urgent need to stop the pan-democrats from “paralysing” the committee’s work.

"If we do not hold a meeting to discuss this, then we are condoning the insane filibustering of the opposition camp", Holden Chow of the DAB said.

House Committee chairwoman Starry Lee had to adjourn the meeting several times amid occasional chaotic scenes, and several pro-democracy councillors were ejected from the conference room.

Meanwhile, dozens of supporters and opponents of the planned law changes gathered outside the Legco complex to air their views.