Michael Fallon resigns amid talk of new sleaze claims
The Defence Secretary is the first scalp of Westminster’s widening sex scandal
Michael Fallon has resigned as Defence Secretary, saying his past behaviour towards women had “fallen short” of the expected standards of the UK military.
“A number of allegations have surfaced about MPs in recent days, including some about my previous conduct,” he wrote in his resignation letter to Theresa May. “Many of these have been false but I accept that in the past I have fallen below the high standard we require of the Armed Forces that I have the honour to represent.”
Earlier this week Fallon publicly apologised after the journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer revealed on Twitter he had touched her on the knee in 2002.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“If he has gone because he touched my knee 15 years ago, that is genuinely the most absurd reason for anyone to have lost their job in the history of the universe, so I hope it is not because of that,” she said last night.
But “allies of the former defence secretary said that he had resigned because he was unable to guarantee that there would not be more stories about inappropriate behaviour with other journalists”, The Times reports.
One friend told The Guardian: “He would absolutely concede that some of the flirtation has been inappropriate.”
Fallon himself spoke of “occasionally” falling short of expected standards, suggesting there had been more than one incident.
“I think we've all got to look back now at the past, there are always things you regret, you would have done differently,” he told the BBC.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Drugmakers paid pharmacy benefit managers to avoid restricting opioid prescriptions
Under the radar The middlemen and gatekeepers of insurance coverage have been pocketing money in exchange for working with Big Pharma
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures A cyclone's aftermath, a fearless leap, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
The Imaginary Institution of India: a 'compelling' exhibition
The Week Recommends 'Vibrant' show at the Barbican examines how political upheaval stimulated Indian art
By The Week UK Published
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton 'A total one-off': tributes have poured in for the former deputy PM and trade unionist
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'McMahon finally seems to be paying a small price for his transgressions'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Who will replace Rishi Sunak as the next Tory leader?
In Depth Shortlist will be whittled down to two later today
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published