New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the UK, Phil Goff, has been dismissed following remarks he made about former US President Donald Trump’s understanding of history.
Speaking at a Chatham House event in London, Mr Goff referenced a famous 1938 speech by Sir Winston Churchill, in which the British wartime leader criticised the Munich Agreement. The deal, signed by Neville Chamberlain, allowed Nazi Germany to annex part of Czechoslovakia.
Quoting Churchill’s rebuke to Chamberlain, Goff stated, “You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have war.”
He then questioned whether Trump, who had reinstated Churchill’s bust in the Oval Office, truly understood the significance of history.
The question, directed at Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, was met with laughter from the audience.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, called Goff’s remarks “disappointing” and said they made his position “untenable.”
Peters added, “When you are in that position you represent the government and the policies of the day.
“You’re not able to free-think, you are the face of New Zealand.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that discussions were underway regarding Goff’s return to New Zealand, marking an end to his tenure as High Commissioner since January 2023.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark, under whom Goff previously served as a minister, criticised the move, calling it a “very thin excuse” for removing a “highly respected” diplomat.
Phil Goff is a veteran politician who previously served as New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defence, and Mayor of Auckland.
He was appointed as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the UK in early 2023, making his dismissal a significant diplomatic shift.
New Zealand’s government is now working on a leadership transition for the High Commission in London. Meanwhile, the incident has sparked debate over the limits of diplomatic speech and political impartiality in international relations.
