The High Commissioner of New Zealand in Britain lost his job due to a comment about US President Donald Trump during an event in London this week. New Zealand Foreign Minister gave this information on Thursday. New Zealand High Commissioner Phil Goff in Britain on Tuesday made this comment at an event organized by International Affairs think tank ‘Chautham House’ in London.
Goff asked the audience of guest speaker Finland Finance Elina Waltonon’s audience, stating that he was re -reading the famous speech of Britain Winston Churchill in 1938 during the war period when Churchill was an MP in the then Prime Minister Neville Chembberlen government.
Churchill’s speech condemned the signing of the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler by Britain, under which Germany was allowed to occupy part of Czechoslovakia.
Goff said that Churchill told Chamberlane, “You had an option between war and insult.” You chose insult, yet you will get war. ”
Then Goff questioned Waltonon, “President Trump re -established the Churchill’s roll statue in the ‘Oval Office’ (office of the President of America) but do you think he really understands history?”
According to the video of the program aired by New Zealand news institutions, the audience started laughing at the New Zealand ambassador, after which Waltonon said that she would limit herself to say “herself” that Churchill has made a very classical comment “.”
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in response to journalists’ questions that Goff’s remarks were “disappointing” and the ambassador’s position was “unstable”.
Peters said in a written statement, “We have asked the Foreign Affairs and Business Secretary Beda Cori to work closely with Goff for the leadership change in New Zealand High Commission in London.”
Goff is the High Commissioner of New Zealand in Britain since January 2023. He has not responded to the matter at the moment.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clarke shared a post on the social media platform ‘X’ and condemned the sacking of the goff.
