Former UK High Commissioner says Goff crossed ‘diplomatic boundaries’, Peters had ‘no choice’

• Phil Goff was removed as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom after comments about US President Donald Trump.
• Former High Commissioner Sir Lockwood Smith said Goff overstepped diplomatic boundaries.
• Smith emphasised the importance of careful political comments due to New Zealand’s relationship with the US.

A former UK High Commissioner says the Foreign Minister was left with “no choice” but to strip Phil Goff of the role after public comments about Trump.

Sir Lockwood Smith said Winston Peters criticising the comments would “not have been enough” and Goff overstepped a diplomatic boundary when he made the comments.

Smith told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that he agreed with the quick decision to sack Goff but he did “feel sorry” for him.

Smith said the High Commissioner has to remain incredibly careful about political comments and should not have commented on the state of American affairs at all.

Former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Sir Lockwood Smith. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

“Our relationship with the United States is just too important for loose comment to cause problems.

“If Phil Goff’s comments were just criticised by the Foreign Minister, that wouldn’t have been enough.”

Smith said diplomatic boundaries are also very important and Goff crossed them when making the comments.

Smith said there was a three-week programme in Wellington before his appointment, but there are no set rules.

“They expect you to be sensible.”

He said Goff might have been caught up in the standard rules of the Chatham House where quotes are not attributable.

“But something as inflammatory as that is always going to leak out somewhere.”

Phil Goff was stripped of the role after making comments about United States President Donald Trump. Photo / Alex Burton

Goff’s position as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom was stripped from him on Thursday by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters after Goff made “deeply disappointing” comments about Trump this week.

Asking a question of Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister Elina Valtonen at a Chatham House event in London, Goff said he had been rereading a speech by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1938 after the Munich Agreement.

“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?”

Peters moved quickly to take action, saying: “Phil Goff’s comments are deeply disappointing”.

“They do not represent the views of the New Zealand Government and make his position as High Commissioner to London untenable.

“We have asked the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bede Corry, to now work through with Mr Goff the upcoming leadership transition at the New Zealand High Commission in London.”

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