The Liberal leadership was in deep division in the extradition bill controversy in 2019. After the June 9 protest which drew over a million people marching in the streets as the organisers claimed, the Carrie Lam administration issued a statement it was determined to resume the debate on the bill in the Legislative Council. The Liberal Party quickly followed and issued its own statement in support of the government. However, former party chairman and leader James Tien had been outspoken for his opposition to the bill. On 8 July when the government finally backed down as Carrie Lam declared the bill was dead, James Tien and three other honorary chairmen of the party, Selina Chow, Miriam Lau and Vincent Fang called on Tommy Cheung who was an Executive Councillor at Lam's cabinet to resign as he failed to relay public opposition to the bill, but was refused by Cheung. James Tien publicly called for the resignation of Carrie Lam as Chief Executive.