Decision on whether to axe minister over Omicron ‘partygate’ set to reveal how Beijing will enforce accountability in Hong Kong

A rare expected departure of a cabinet minister in Hong Kong has revealed the delicate relationship between the central authorities, the city’s leader and Beijing loyalists on political appointments and where the buck stops.

Insiders revealed that Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had insisted on being tough towards Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui Ying-wai, the most high-profile Hong Kong official who attended an infamous Omicron-hit birthday bash early this month, despite intense behind-the-scenes lobbying from his party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB).