Vote rebel: MP Zac Goldsmith with London Mayor Boris Johnson. Mr Goldsmith was snubbed by prime minister David Cameron Mr Goldsmith was due to start work as Mr Cameron’s ‘climate change and forest envoy’ last month.
His first task, a meeting in London last month with President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon, where forests are at risk, was publicly announced.
But Mr Goldsmith was barred from attending and told his job offer was cancelled. Two days earlier, he was among 81 Tory MPs who voted in favour of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, ignoring Mr Cameron’s order to toe the line.
Richmond Park MP Mr Goldsmith said last night: ‘I was always going to vote for the referendum motion, not least because I promised my constituents I would.
‘But the Government was very unwise to impose a three-line whip on Conservative MPs. It created all sorts of problems for itself that could have been avoided.’
‘It was petty and vindictive to cancel this post. Zac had every right to vote in favour of a referendum on Europe.'
Fellow MP
He refused to comment about the way his job had been snatched from him, but he vowed to continue his lifelong campaign to save the forests and combat climate change.
‘Reversing the decline of forestry worldwide is one of the most important battles faced by our species.
‘I don’t need a formal government role to pursue that work.’
However, a fellow MP was more outspoken, commenting: ‘It was petty and vindictive to cancel this post. Zac had every right to vote in favour of a referendum on Europe.
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