Phil Goff had served in London for more than two years. Photo: AFP / Pool
Ousted United Kingdom High Commissioner Phil Goff was farewelled overnight with a message from King Charles.
Goff was sacked by Foreign Minister Winston Peters after making undiplomatic comments about Donald Trump. He posted on Facebook that he had now now had a sendoff.
"Nice to be farewelled today by Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps Alastair Harrison, with a message from King Charles," he said. "It has been a privilege to represent New Zealand in the United Kingdom."
Goff did not reveal what the King's message said, but said the two countries had a long, close and enduring friendship, fighting for common values.
"On critical global issues such as security, trade and climate change, we are likeminded," he said.
The former Labour Party leader and former mayor of Auckland had been in the role since January 2023, but was fired after comments made at a Chatham House event with Finland's foreign minister.
Phil Goff and Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps Alastair Harrison. Photo:
During a Q&A session, the two were discussing how Finland kept the peace in its border with Russia.
"I was re-reading Churchill's speech to the House of Commons in 1938, after the Munich Agreement, and he turned to Chamberlain, he said, 'You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have war,'" Goff said.
"President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office, but do you think he really understands history?"
The phrase seemed to accuse Trump of appeasement.
Peters said that made his position untenable and that firing Goff was one of the most difficult things he had to do in his career.
Goff had a very specific diplomatic role and didn't meet the government's expectations, he said.
"When you are in that position, you represent the government and the policies of the day," Peters said. "You're not able to free think - you are the face of New Zealand. It's not the way you behave as the front face of a country, diplomatically."
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